Illinois COVID Positivity Rate Today: State Sees Highest Number of Hospitalizations Since Early October

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has reported a significant increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state. As of today, the state's seven-day case positivity rate has risen above 3% for the first time since mid-September.

According to IDPH officials, there were 30 additional deaths attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of fatalities to 26,190. Additionally, 5,644 new cases have been reported, with 1,758,146 infections confirmed since the start of the pandemic.

The state's hospitalization numbers are also concerning, with a total of 1,669 patients being treated in hospitals across Illinois. This is an increase of 60 patients from the previous day and marks the highest number of hospitalizations since early October.

One factor contributing to the surge in testing is the requirement for vaccination or testing, particularly among those who need to travel during the holiday season. 'All close contacts of cases should seek testing,' said IDPH spokeswoman Melaney Arnold.

The state's seven-day case positivity rate has been climbing steadily over the past few weeks after dipping as low as 1.8% in October. This metric is used by public health officials to determine what measures are necessary to slow the spread of infection.

In suburban Cook County and Lake County, the positivity rate remains below 3%, while in DuPage, Kane, McHenry, and Will counties, the rate has exceeded the statewide average, with McHenry County reaching a high of 4.8%.

For context, at this time last year, Illinois was experiencing a significantly higher rate of infection, with a seven-day case positivity rate of 11.9% and an average of nearly 12,000 new cases reported daily.

IDPH officials are urging residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible to help bring the numbers back down. 'It appears that a lot of what is driving the increase is people moving inside,' said Arnold. 'That's why it is important for as many people as possible to be vaccinated to offer greater protection to everyone.

Illinois covid positivity rate today