Public health officials in Illinois have reported 601 new cases of coronavirus, along with 38 additional deaths over the last 24 hours.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state has now confirmed 137,825 cases of the virus since the pandemic began. These cases have been reported in 101 of the state’s 102 counties, and have impacted residents all across the age spectrum, from under one year old to more than 100 years old.
In all, 6,707 deaths have been connected to the coronavirus since the pandemic began.
In the last 24 hours, Illinois laboratories have reported 20,507 specimens, for a total of nearly 1.4 million tests conducted during the pandemic. The seven-day positivity rate for testing remains at two percent, according to data from the state.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the IDPH, commended state residents for a decline in cases and deaths that has been ongoing for five consecutive weeks, saying that adherence to stay-at-home orders and mandates to wear masks have helped to curb the spread of the virus in the state.
“Lives are in your hands, and you’ve saved so many by your actions,” Ezike said.
