Illinois surpasses 10,000 coronavirus deaths as state reports highest COVID-19 daily caseload
CHICAGO - Illinois health officials reported the state’s highest daily coronavirus caseload ever Thursday while the state surpassed 10,000 deaths died to the virus.
The two grim milestones come amid continually climbing coronavirus cases statewide.
Thursday’s daily caseload was 9,935, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The previous high daily count was set on Halloween at 7,899, with the second-highest reported just yesterday: 7,538 new COVID-19 cases.
The health department on Thursday also reported 97 more deaths.
Illinois’ rolling testing positivity rate shot up to 9.1% from from 8.2%.
The state’s totals are now 447,491 coronavirus cases, including 10,030 deaths.
Governor JB Pritzker warned Thursday of more potential crackdowns, because he says the rise in cases and hospitalizations is unsustainable.
Pritzker says we have more than doubled the number of people in our hospital system with the disease in just about five weeks, with no sign of slowing down.
“The number of COVID-19 patients in the ICU is up more than 100% since October 1st,” the governor said.
Along with the state, cases are surging in Chicago as well.
“Our outbreak is surging in ways we have never before seen,” said Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said.
She says as of Thursday, the average number of new cases in Chicago every day is nearly 1,400.
“This increase in cases is already leading to an increase in hospitalizations, ICU's, people on the ventilator, we've seen a small uptick in deaths,” Arwady said.
With three weeks away from thanksgiving -- a time known for social gathering — doctors are warning about the impact the rise in cases could have on hospitals.
“We are worried that there won't be a bed enough for everyone, so let's make some decisions now,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike of the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“Beds available and bed availability, is a huge challenge for all hospitals, not just the ones in the suburbs, from the ones all over and it's extremely important to be cognizant of that fact,” said Dr. Chris Colbert of the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The governor is also putting pressure on local government officials to enforce mitigation measures currently in place.
Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.