Chicago is seeing the lowest positivity testing rate since the pandemic began, according to the city's top doctor, as well as some ZIP codes recording no COVID-19 cases.
As of Thursday, the city reported a 0.5% testing positivity rate, according to date from the Chicago Department of Public Health, meaning about one in nine people are diagnosed with COVID-19.
"There are starting to be ZIP codes where we are not seeing cases of COVID. That's new for us, right," Arwady said. "We still have plenty of COVID in the city, but certainly compared to where we were, we're starting to see going some weeks without COVID -- and in some of the zip codes, which is which is exciting."
Arwady added that she is encouraged by the latest data as Chicago sees COVID cases down 33% from one week prior, with an average of 40 daily cases. Similarly, IDPH data showed Thursday that hospitalizations were down by 58% over the last seven days.
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"With the full reopening, this is really encouraging to see," Arwady said. "Again this exponential decay of our reproduction number is nice and low. And things have been continuing to look good."
One county in the Chicago area holds the highest percentage of residents vaccinated against the coronavirus, while an area in downstate Illinois has the lowest number vaccinated.
DuPage County has 55.33% of its population vaccinated against COVID-19, which compares to the 47.58% in Chicago and 50.84% vaccinated in Cook County, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
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Meanwhile, Alexander County, one of the southern-most areas of Illinois,14.22% of its residents are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, which is the lowest reported percentage statewide.
Here's where the Chicago area stands in terms of vaccinations:
- Chicago: 47.58%
- Cook County: 50.84%
- DeKalb: 40.72%
- DuPage County: 55.33%
- Grundy: 39.83%
- Kane: 45.80%
- Kendall: 47.62%
- Lake: 47.52%
- LaSalle: 40.83%
- McHenry: 46.03%
- Will: 46.06%
