Illinois reports 40,026 new COVID-19 cases, 45 deaths over the past week

Illinois health officials on Friday reported 40,026 new COVID-19 cases, including 45 deaths, over the past week.

CHICAGO - Illinois health officials reported 40,026 new COVID-19 cases, including 45 deaths, over the past week.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting a total of 3,209,341 cases, including 33,705 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.

As of Thursday night, 909 individuals in Illinois were in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 87 were in the ICU and 25 patients with COVID were on ventilators.

The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 314 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans, health officials said.

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The case rate has been slowly rising in the state, and 23 Illinois counties have a medium community level of COVID-19, officials said.

The counties include Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, DeWitt, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Johnson, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Logan, Mason, McHenry, McLean, Ogle, Peoria, Sangamon, Whiteside, Will, and Winnebago.

Evanston moves to 'high' level of COVID-19 transmission

Evanston has moved into the "high" COVID-19 community risk level, health officials said Friday.

At this level, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places, health officials said.

"While case counts are rising, we would urge the public not to be alarmed, but to be aware of this trend and to take action by making sure they are up-to-date with vaccinations and booster shots," said IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars.

"In addition, in areas that are rated at a Medium Community Level, people who are elderly or immunocompromised are strongly advised to mask up in indoor places. And if you test positive, you should consult with a healthcare provider about obtaining a prescription for one of the therapeutic treatments that are widely available. The treatments are much more effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths when they are taken early in the course of the illness."

State health officials said more than 76% of Illinois' total population have received at least one vaccine dose and more than 69% are fully vaccinated. More than half of Illinois residents have received the booster shot, health officials said.

Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found here: https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.