6,980 new coronavirus cases in Illinois as positivity rate reaches 8%
Coronavirus cases in Illinois continued their upward trend Sunday with another 6,980 cases, pushing the testing positivity rate to 8% — the highest it’s been since late May.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also said another 35 people have died from the respiratory illness ripping across the state.
Nearly 1,100 people died statewide from the virus in October, averaging about 35 deaths a day. That’s nearly double the death rate in September, which saw 656 deaths from the virus.
The new cases were among 78,458 test results submitted to the health department.
On Saturday, the state recorded its highest-ever daily coronavirus caseload with 7,899 new cases.
As of Saturday night, 3,294 Illinoisans were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 692 needing intensive care and 284 on ventilators.