* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,104 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 44 additional deaths.
- Bureau County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Clark County: 1 male 70s
- Coles County: 1 male 70s
- Cook County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Crawford County: 1 female 70s
- DeKalb County: 1 male 80s
- DuPage County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 90s
- Edgar County: 1 male 70s
- Fulton County: 1 male 70s
- Henry County: 1 male 60s
- Iroquois County: 1 female 90s
- Kane County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s
- LaSalle County; 1 male 60s
- Macoupin County: 1 male 60s
- Madison County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
- Marion County: 1 male 70s
- McHenry County: 1 male 70s
- McLean County: 1 female 70s
- Montgomery County: 1 male 80s
- Peoria County: 1 female 70s
- Randolph County: 1 male 70s
- Rock Island County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s
- Saline County: 1 male 60s
- Sangamon County: 1 female 90s
- Washington County: 1 male 60s
- Whiteside County: 1 male 70s
- Will County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 80s
- Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,191,520 cases, including 20,626 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 80,854 specimens for a total of 18,315,522. As of last night, 1,260 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 275 patients were in the ICU and 138 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from February 24–March 2, 2021 is 2.4%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from February 24–March 2, 2021 is 2.9%.
A total of doses of 3,392,925 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 443,700 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 3,836,625. A total of 2,900,341 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 328,795 for long-term care facilities. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 84,202 doses. Yesterday, 82,449 doses were administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* Nursing home industry press release…
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and long term care facilities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, released a report today showing nursing homes in the U.S. have seen the lowest number of new COVID cases since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started tracking back in May 2020, suggesting that the vaccines are working.
Recent CMS data shows that nursing homes have seen an 82 percent decline in new COVID cases among residents since the peak during the week of December 20 of last year when there were more than 30,000 new resident cases. In the same period of time, community cases in the general population dropped by 46 percent, showcasing that vaccines are having an impact in protecting the elderly population in nursing homes.
* I asked for Illinois-specific info…
The feds began requiring reporting through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) last May, and so the best usable data begins then, though we had state specific reporting requirements prior to that which was hosted on the DPH website. Per the NHSN data the final week of May saw 728 new cases in centers across the state. This dropped significantly over the summer, following the same trend line the general population was seeing, with a low point of 134 new cases in the last week of July. New case occurrences also followed the general population trendline over the fall and winter, with a high mark of 2057 new cases the first week of December. Long term care wasn’t in the first wave of priority 1A for the vaccine, though we were part of 1A, and saw the first vaccine clinics in our centers beginning the week of December 28. Numbers have taken a nosedive following the completion of the clinics, with the last two weeks reporting 212 and 116 new cases respectively.
The number of deaths followed a similar trajectory. There were 293 in that last week of May, 32 the first week of August, 367 in the middle of December, and now 41 in the most recent week of completed reporting.
That’s a 94 percent drop in cases from the peak in December and an 89 percent decrease in deaths.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 12:46 pm:
DeWitt-Piatt Bi-County Health Department is going into somewhat of a crisis mode for vaccines. See the letter from the Executive Director on their website. I have a family member who is in that March second dose category for this health department. Hopefully they can get their second dose because we’re looking at an out-patient surgery for cancer treatment sometime after that (whenever an OR opens up). I checked the local Walgreens to see if shots were available there, since it is listed as a vaccination site on the State’s site. But, none are available in DeWitt County anyway. https://www.dewittpiatthealth.com/
- Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 12:53 pm:
@anon221 - Would transportation to the state fairgrounds site be a problem? Many appointments are open right now, You can even call and make an appointment and explain your second shot problem.
Also the champaign county HD has been very good about getting shots out AND answering their phones. Might want to call them see if they could help.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:16 pm:
===going into somewhat of a crisis mode for vaccines===
From what I gather, they were using vaccines set aside for 2nd doses as first doses and ran out. Oops.
- Magic Dragon - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:23 pm:
Time to lift the outdoor capacity restrictions…like now.
- RWC - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 1:28 pm:
The state has 900,000 unused doses as of today, and if current rates of vaccination go up slightly, it would still take us 11 days to use what is currently on hand, though many more will be in state by then. I’m not clear why this continues to be true. I could understand a 5 day turnaround.
Keep in mind that there are certainly people contracting the disease because they haven’t received a dose yet, and some will die.
Why is the big UC set-up limited to 6,000 people “while supplies last”? We have an abundance of unused supply.
- Joe Schmoe - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 2:26 pm:
My mother has both doses and survived a nursing home crisis. For that I am thankful.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 2:32 pm:
Coll Papa Bell- My family member should be able to get their second shot. If not, I will see about the State Fairground option. I did see there were several open slots there when other sites were full.
- Bigtwich - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 2:41 pm:
Anon221
Right now the fairgrounds has a total of five appointments available.
- Simple Simon - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 2:51 pm:
Been regularly scanning the ages of those who died, hoping to see the number of 80 and 90 year olds decrease since they got vaccinated first. Only in the last few days have I been seeing hints of that, although it is not convincing yet. Hope it is clear soon.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Mar 3, 21 @ 3:05 pm:
Bigtwich-They don’t need it until the end of March, but I’m monitoring several backup sites just in case.