Illinois health officials announced that recent CDC data shows just nine of Illinois' 102 counties are at an elevated COVID-19 community level, a decrease from 26 counties one week ago.
Of the nine counties, eight are currently at a "medium" COVID-19 community level while one county is at a "high" COVID-19 community level.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois health officials have reported a total of 4,092,258 cases and 36,494 deaths from the virus.
In the week ending March 12, state health officials reported 8,966 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, along with 63 deaths.
As of Thursday night, 824 people in Illinois were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 107 patients were reported to be in the ICU and 36 patients were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day COVID-19 case rate is 70 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.
As of Friday, a total of 26,069,405 vaccines have been administered in Illinois.
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Of the state's total population, more than 79 percent have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 71 percent have completed their primary series of vaccinations and more than 19 percent have received a bivalent booster dose.
In downstate Clay County, masks are recommended indoors as the COVID-19 community level has reached a "high" presence.
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In the following eight counties, masks are recommended indoors for those who are immunocompromised, with a "medium" COVID-19 community level.
- Calhoun County
- Edwards County
- Franklin County
- Jackson County
- Jasper County
- Perry County
- Richland County
- Williamson County
