Illinois health officials reported 1,426 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, along with 12 additional deaths attributed to the virus.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 169,883 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed statewide since the pandemic began, along with 7,397 confirmed deaths.
In all, 38,200 new test results were returned to state labs on Saturday, bringing the pandemic total to 2,470,723 tests conducted, with a 6.9 percent positivity rate overall.
The 7-day positivity rate has continued to climb over the last five days, jumping up to 3.59 percent on Saturday. That is the highest 7-day rate recorded by the state since June 12, according to data from the IDPH.
Ventilator usage by COVID-19 patients in Illinois has continued to drop despite the increase in cases, with just 110 on ventilators as of midnight. That is the lowest mark recorded in the state since records became public in mid-April.
There has been an increase in hospitalizations related to the virus in recent days, climbing to 1,438 patients on Saturday. The number of patients in intensive care units has also inched upward, now sitting at 341.
