The yellow shapes are the novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, seen in a scanning electron microscope image. (NIAID-RML)
CHICAGO - Illinois health officials Saturday announced another 108 deaths from the coronavirus.
Since the start of the pandemic, the state has recorded 894,367 positive coronavirus cases and 15,123 deaths, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Health officials also said another 7,562 people tested positive for the virus, setting the state’s testing positivity rate at 8.2%.
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As of Friday night, 4,624 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 1,000 in the ICU and 562 on ventilators.
Daily deaths have topped 100 for all but two days in December, the tragic aftermath of a treacherous November that produced more than 300,000 new cases, an average of nearly 10,300 per day.
But officials also expected an even greater surge of cases during the holiday season. Newly confirmed infections have exceeded 10,000 on only four days in December, and just once in the past two weeks.
However, December’s daily average of 8,916 fresh COVID-19 cases is still the highest average of any month except November.