March 28, 2024
Coronavirus

Pritzker: No region to advance to Tier 2, even if they hit the metrics, for “a few weeks” over concern for Thanksgiving virus surge

IDPH reports new 6,190 confirmed coronavirus cases, 85 additional deaths

A line of cars drive-thru the Bureau County Fairgroiunds in Princeton for free COVID-19 testing.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 6,190 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 85 additional deaths Monday, as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said none of the state’s 11 health care regions would advance to Tier 2 mitigations “for a few weeks” even if they hit the necessary metrics to do so.

Pritzker cited national concerns over a potential Thanksgiving surge of coronavirus cases, a topic of a conversation he held Monday morning with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"We are still very much in a precarious place, and we've got to take the time to evaluate any Thanksgiving effects before we make any premature adjustments," Pritzker said.

Of the conversation with Fauci, Pritzker added: "He (Fauci) said the massive number of indoor gatherings by people visiting family and friends across the nation will very likely bring a post-Thanksgiving surge, and he believes this is no time to pull back on mitigations."

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate increased to 10.2%. The state received the results of 66,980 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Monday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 726,304 cases of the virus, and 12,278 people have died. The state has conducted 10,497,998 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Sunday, Illinois had 5,849 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, a decrease of nine patients over the previous day. Of those hospitalizations, 1,217 were in intensive care units, and 715 were on ventilators.

Regional update: Currently, all 11 of the state's health regions are under additional mitigation measures from the IDPH, and as of Nov. 20, all 11 regions are under Tier 3 mitigations.

Regional data from the IDPH remains on a three-day lag.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region’s positivity rate remained flat at 12.8%. Currently, 19.9% of medical/surgical beds are available and 25.7% of ICU beds.

The region has 11 consecutive days over the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and eight consecutive days over the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability (with 19.9% rounded up to 20%).

The Lake/McHenry region has a rolling, seven-day average of 342 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, and that number has decreased for eight of the past 10 days.

Within this region, McHenry County's seven-day positivity rate average remained flat at 16.4%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 11.5%.

Finally, within the Lake/McHenry region, there are 40 available, staffed ICU beds out of 187 total, a decrease of 14 from Sunday.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 13.1%. Currently, 22.2% of medical/surgical beds are available and 24.0% of ICU beds.

The region has four consecutive days over the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and four consecutive days over the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

The Kane/DuPage region has a rolling, seven-day average of 652 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased seven out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, Kane County's seven-day positivity average is at 15.4%, and DuPage County is at 11.9%.

Finally, within the DuPage/Kane region, there are 82 available, staffed ICU beds out of 344 total, an decrease of 12 from Sunday.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 17.4%. Currently, 19.8% of medical/surgical beds are available and 18.9% of ICU beds.

The region has one day under the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and five consecutive days over the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

The Will/Kankakee region has a rolling, seven-day average of 357 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased five out of the past 10 days in this region.

Finally, within the Will/Kankakee region, there are 34 available, staffed ICU beds out of 162 total, an increase of four over Sunday.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 15.0%. Currently, 27.3% of medical/surgical beds are available and 22.5% of ICU beds.

The region has 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Region 1 has a rolling, seven-day average of 259 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased nine out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, DeKalb County's positivity rate increased to 11.1%, Lee County's rate decreased to 18.5%, and Whiteside County's rate dropped to 15.3%.

Finally, within this region, there are 40 available, staffed ICU beds out of 179 total, a decrease of four from Sunday.

The North-Central region (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 13.1%. Currently, 25.5% of medical/surgical beds are available and 19.7% of ICU beds.

The region has one day above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Region 2 has a rolling, seven-day average of 503 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have increased six out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, La Salle county's seven-day positivity rate decreased to 12.5%.

Finally, within this region, there are 56 available, staffed ICU beds out of 257, an increase of two since Sunday.

Chicago has seen two days under 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased to 11.7%. Currently, 24.5% of medical/surgical beds are available and 25.8% of ICU beds.

The region has 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Chicago has a rolling, seven-day average of 1,258 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have increased six out of the past 10 days in this region.

Suburban Cook County has seen zero consecutive days under the 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased slightly to 12.6%. Currently, 25.3% of medical/surgical beds are available and 20.7% of ICU beds.

The region has three consecutive days over the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Suburban Cook County has a rolling, seven-day average of 1,601 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have increased five out of the past 10 days in this region.

To see how other regions across the state are doing, see the full IDPH dashboard here.

Newly reported deaths include:

• Cook County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 5 females 60s, 6 males 60s, 12 females 70s, 11 males 70s, 10 females 80s, 13 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 2 males 90s

• DeKalb County: 1 male 60s

• DuPage County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s

• Kane County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s

• Lake County: 1 male 70s

• La Salle County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 90s

• Madison County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 90s

• Mason County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s

• McDonough County: 1 male 60s

• Monroe County: 1 female 80s

• Ogle County: 1 female 90s

• Peoria County: 1 female 50s

• Tazewell County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s

• Will County: 2 females 90s

John Sahly

John Sahly

John Sahly is the digital editor for the Shaw Local News Network. He has been with Shaw Media since 2008, previously serving as the Northwest Herald's digital editor, and the Daily Chronicle sports editor and sports reporter.