54 Illinois Counties at an Elevated COVID-19 Community Level as Cases Drop

As holiday celebrations wrap up across the state and country, cases of COVID-19 in Illinois have substantially dropped since last week's reporting according to the CDC, although a drop in testing over the holidays may have played a factor.

All counties in the Chicago area are at a "medium" COVID-19 community level, with DuPage, Kendall and DeKalb counties dropping from "high" to "medium" over the past seven days.

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CDC data shows that 54 of Illinois' 102 counties are currently at a "high" or "medium" community level, down from 88 counties at an elevated level last week.

Of the 54 counties at an elevated level, just five are now at a "high" community level, a significant drop from the 33 counties at a "high" community level last week. There are 49 Illinois counties now at a "medium" level, dropping from 55 counties last week.

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According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 15,904 new probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in the past seven days, with 47 additional deaths.

“I applaud Illinois citizens for practicing important preventative measures to reduce the spread of infection and protect our hospital capacity. It is encouraging to see fewer Illinois counties at an elevated risk for COVID-19, with only five counties currently at high risk. However, as we continue to experience significant levels of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory infections, it is important to continue protecting those most vulnerable to severe outcomes, especially individuals over 65, those immunocompromised, and those with chronic medical conditions," IDPH director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement.

Vohra added that it is recommended for Illinois residents to get a flu shot and stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, while also testing for COVID-19 when feeling ill.

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Currently, Illinois health officials are reporting a total of 3,969,832 cases and 35,761 deaths since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Thursday night, 1,767 people in Illinois were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 225 patients were in the ICU and 80 patients were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 125 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.