86 Illinois Counties at Elevated Community Level of COVID-19 as CDC Metrics Report Rise in Cases

Illinois health officials reported a total of 23,334 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 82 deaths, since Dec. 9. The metrics are up from the week prior, when officials said the state saw 21,404 new and confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 56 deaths. As of Thursday evening, 1,712 people in Illinois were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 211 patients were in the ICU and 63 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 183 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans. According to CDC data, 86 state counties stand at an elevated community level of the virus. The number of counties are split evenly among elevated statuses, with 43 at “high” and 43 at “medium.” “Illinois continues to see a dramatic rise in communities at elevated risk levels for COVID-19,” Illinois Department of Public Health director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement released Friday. “As we prepare for holiday gatherings with our loved ones, I want to remind Illinoisians that these elevated COVID-19 community levels, along with rising flu levels, are leading to a surge of respiratory infections, increased hospitalizations and limited hospital beds. I strongly recommend all Illinoisians take preventative steps to protect themselves and their family and friends, especially those most vulnerable including young children and individuals over 65.” CDC COVID-19 community levels in Illinois classified as low, medium or high. The following 43 counties are now at a “high” COVID-19 community level: Adams CountyBrown CountyCalhoun CountyCass CountyChampaign CountyChristian CountyClay CountyColes CountyDeKalb CountyDouglas CountyEdgar CountyEdwards CountyFord CountyFulton CountyGallatin County Hardin CountyJasper CountyJohnson CountyKankakee CountyKnox CountyLee CountyLogan CountyMacon CountyMarshall CountyMason CountyMassac CountyMenard CountyPeoria CountyPiatt CountyPike CountyRandolph CountyRichland CountySaline CountySangamon CountyScott CountyShelby CountyTazewell CountyVermilion CountyWabash CountyWarren CountyWhiteside CountyWilliamson CountyWinnebago County The following 43 counties are now at a “medium” COVID-19 community level: Boone CountyBond CountyCarroll CountyClark CountyClinton CountyCook CountyCumberland CountyDe Witt CountyDuPage CountyEffingham CountyFayette CountyFranklin CountyGreene CountyHamilton CountyHenderson CountyHenry CountyIroquois CountyJackson CountyJefferson CountyJersey CountyJo Daviess CountyKane CountyKendall CountyLake CountyLawrence CountyMadison CountyMcDonough CountyMcHenry CountyMcLean CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMorgan CountyMoultrie CountyOgle CountyPerry CountyPope CountyPulaski CountySchuyler CountySchuyler CountyStephenson CountyWayne CountyWhite CountyWoodford County At a medium community level, anyone at high risk of getting seriously ill should wear a high-quality mask or respirator, such as an N95, when in public indoors. Additionally, if you have contact with someone else at high risk, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, according to the CDC. At a high community level, the CDC recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public settings. A total of 25,597,784 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois, with a seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily at 15,174 doses. More than 78% of Illinois’ population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, with more than 71% completing their primary series of vaccinations. Over 17% of eligible Illinoisans have received a bivalent booster dose. testing Dec 16 You Can Now Get Both a Flu and COVID Test at Walgreens. Here's How covid community level Dec 16 2 Chicago-Area Counties Reach High COVID Alert Level, Masks Recommended

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