One week after Illinois experienced an average of more than 6,000 COVID-19 cases for the first time in three months, the state has seen a break in the upward trend - as both slight decreases in case numbers and hospitalizations have been reported.
However, metrics still remain substantially higher than they were a few months ago, according to newly-released data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Illinois is averaging 5,396 daily COVID cases over the past week, state data has revealed. The number is down from last week, which marked the first time Illinois surpassed the 6,000-case mark since Feb. 9.
In the last seven days, the daily average of new COVID cases has declined by 1.65%, according to IDPH officials. In the past month, cases overall have increased by 97%.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
According to IDPH data, the state is averaging eight fatalities per day over the last week, an increase from six a week earlier.
Hospitalizations, too, have seen decreases in recent days, but last week passed the 1,000-mark for the first time in months.
While the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 declined for months earlier this year, hospitalizations have risen to the point they were in mid-to-late February, when more than 1,000 hospital beds were regularly occupied by COVID patients on a daily basis.
Local
A total of 1,120 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 Monday, which was up from 1,055 patients a day earlier.
A decline in hospitalizations occurred a few days before that, with the number of patients decreasing from 1,083 to 1,060 between May 18 and 19. Of the 1,055 individuals with COVID-19 hospitalized as of Saturday, a total of 117 were occupying intensive care unit beds.
In regard to vaccinations, more than 8.27 million residents over the age of 5 have been fully vaccinated, representing approximately 73% of that population in the state.
Illinois is now averaging 12,707new vaccine doses administered per day, a slight decrease from a week earlier. Additionally, nearly 4.5 million booster shots given out to state residents since they became available last year.
