* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 7,983 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 47 additional deaths since reporting last Friday, July16, 2021. More than 73% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 58% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,407,929 cases, including 23,401 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Since reporting on Friday, July 16, 2021, laboratories have reported 241,150 specimens for a total of 26,534,129. As of last night, 670 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 135 patients were in the ICU and 44 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from July 16-22, 2021 is 3.3%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from July 16-22, 2021 is 3.5%.
A total of 13,056,857 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 19,928 doses. Since reporting on Friday, July 16, 2021, 139,495 doses were reported administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19.
* Because so many people are vaccinated, case numbers aren’t quite as relevant as before. Also, testing is way down. Even so, Franklin County’s test positivity rate is above 12 percent. Just 30.46 percent of the county’s population is fully vaccinated, so that’s a real problem. As always, hospitalizations and ICU usage and deaths are lagging indicators. Hospitalizations are trending sharply up, but still only about a tenth of what they were last November. And ICU availability is getting tight throughout the state maybe because hospitals have shut down temporary facilities since the fall/winter surge ended. But, yeah, it’s not great. DuPage’s ICU availability is 27.6 percent. Cook County’s is at 18.8 percent. 20 percent is the red zone…
* Related…
* Vaccinated America Has Had Enough: In the United States, this pandemic could be almost over by now. The reasons it’s still going are pretty clear.
- Justin - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 12:43 pm:
May be time to go to twice-weekly (at least) COVID updates or even daily (M-F) again.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 12:44 pm:
===May be time to go to twice-weekly (at least)===
No.
- Pardon Joe Kotlarz - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 12:48 pm:
Mayor Lightfoot is hosting Lollapalooza so I’m sure that will turn out well for new outbreaks.
- Montrose - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 12:53 pm:
I just learned that one of our staff members is not vaccinated (I had been told they were). They said they are concerned about coming back to work at the office because they aren’t vaccinated. I just can’t.
- Pundent - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 12:58 pm:
=Mayor Lightfoot is hosting Lollapalooza so I’m sure that will turn out well for new outbreaks.=
Got to be vaccinated or have a negative test to go. And why shouldn’t we be hosting events for those that are vaccinated? When 97% of the serious cases and deaths are coming from the unvaccinated it’s clear where the problem lies. The incentive is to get the shot and live your life.
This is now a virus of choice.
- truthteller - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 12:59 pm:
sooner or later employers have to make a decision and that decision may well be a demand by their health insurance providers. Simply put, unvaccinated people should have 5-10x higher health insurance premiums to cover their pool of sick people and take the burden off all of us who did the right thing. There has a to accountability and until then, we will never escape a pandemic
- LakeCo - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:00 pm:
I am vaccinated and I have certainly had enough of unvaccinated America’s foolishness.
- DuPage Saint - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:06 pm:
Pro Publica just had an article that said in nursing homes the average number of unvaccinated staff was 40 per cent nationally. I do not understand how that is even possible. The NFL has stricter rules. Forfeited games and money. I would say it is beyond odd and is almost criminal
- Anon221 - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:09 pm:
Looking at our county stats, it appears the July 4th spike is here.
- Cool Papa Bell - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:22 pm:
Some of this will be over when the FDA give full use authorization to the vaccine. That’s when employers will better be able to mandate the shot to workers.
Until then get your shot, protect those who can’t and do your best to stay safe.
- wayward - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:29 pm:
A little surprised by which counties are and are not on the warning list. Alexander has one of the lowest vax rates in the state, and it’s not. Same with Henderson County.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:31 pm:
Trips to Wal-Mart or Target sure make it look like everyone’s been vaccinated given the lack of people wearing masks.
A tragedy can still be a a tragedy no matter how deserving the victims. As this progresses it turns to more and more of a Greek tragedy where by the suffering and death is born by those whose fate could have been adverted if they’d only listened instead of falling for the tricks of a demagogue.
- SSL - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:34 pm:
I don’t understand anyone in a healthcare role who has not been vaccinated. They surely have seen what can happen. I include anyone working in a nursing home environment. Feels like masks are here to stay.
- Steve Polite - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:36 pm:
@Pundent
“This is now a virus of choice.”
While I understand your sentiment and agree somewhat, this is not a virus of choice for younger children and the immunocompromised. - Respectfully
- uptonsghost - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:37 pm:
“This is now a virus of choice”
Except for those of us with kids under 12.
- Steve Polite - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:40 pm:
As an anecdotal example, I have a family member who refused to be vaccinated. This person’s oldest child recently turned 12 but will not be vaccinated because the parent refuses to have the child vaccinated.
- illinifan - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:44 pm:
Kay Ivey, governor of Alabama, had it right, “folks are supposed to have common sense”. There is too much focus on my rights vs. my responsibilities.
- Pundent - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:45 pm:
=this is not a virus of choice for younger children and the immunocompromised=
I think that depends somewhat on personal or parental responsibility. But if we were only focused on protecting those groups the virus would be manageable.
If you’re immunocompromised or under 12 and want to go to Lolla wear a mask. We have to rely on those that are vulnerable to protect themselves as best as possible and parents to be parents. Those are choices as well.
- Amalia - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:48 pm:
If you watch MSNBC you see Dr. Peter Hotez of Baylor on a regular basis. He is a very smart guy and a great communicator. Yesterday he was part of the government’s press conference down in Texas. He said, “if you are not vaccinated, your luck is about to run out.” He described how the Delta variant is moving from state to state and when it will get to Texas. He said that Texans should get the double shot starting with the first one now so you can get your second and have the full immunity weeks after. VAX up. He also said to wear a mask in indoor situations where you don’t know the vaccine status of others…he was wearing a mask and he is vaccinated. this is because of the transmissibility even if you are asymptomatic. and that you could get sick but not die. we are not done with masks if you want to help beat the virus. so MASK UP!
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 1:48 pm:
If you are able to be vaccinated and are not, this surge is on you. And may literally be on you.
- uptonsghost - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 2:11 pm:
@Pundent
I agree it’s parental responsibility to make sure their kids are protected.
However, for those of us who have been vaccinated and have young children we’re now being forced to make different choices because 30% of the population are making poor decisions.
It didn’t have to be like this.
- Enviro - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 2:17 pm:
I have been fully vaccinated since April. However I could still become infected by the covid virus and be an asymtomatic spreader of the virus. Wearing a mask even if I am vaccinated will protect children and other vulnerable people. This is how we can all help end the this pandemic.
- Dude - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 2:21 pm:
I know 2 individuals that are fully vaxxed (was with them when they received both Moderna rounds) and both have tested COVID positive in the last week. Neither have seen each other in over a month. Their vaccines were given in January/February.
- Pundent - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 2:32 pm:
=I know 2 individuals that are fully vaxxed (was with them when they received both Moderna rounds) and both have tested COVID positive in the last week.=
And that will continue to happen. The vaccine is not a 100% guarantee that you won’t contract COVID. It was never billed as such. But with the exception of a very small percentage of the population you won’t end up in the hospital or worse. We have to stop pointing to the positive tests of vaccinated people as something unusual or unique. It only reinforces the beliefs of the anti-vax crowd and the scientists will tell you that it’s too be expected.
- TheSouthern - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 2:44 pm:
75% of the state’s Region 5 (16 of 20 counties) are now in a warning zone. Mitigations are surely coming. Despite this, large events such as last nights sunset concert in Carbondale are still happening with a mostly unmasked audience.
- Snark Hunter - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 3:09 pm:
Q: What did the Delta variant say to the person who refused to get vaccinated?
A; Hey, it’s your funeral.
- Zim - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 3:13 pm:
It’s not Illinois, but it’s noteworthy since it affects many Illinois residents and is right on our doorstep. The City of St. Louis and St. Louis County announced today that a reinstated mask mandate will take effect on Monday.
https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/coronavirus/st-louis-st-louis-county-to-reinstate-mask-mandate/article_b7730c4d-3ee9-5970-8e81-cd704bb67dfa.html
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 3:18 pm:
Sorry, Rich, that this is needed, grateful you have these posts.
Yes, it’s the unvaccinated. Perspective?
Kay Ivey complaining, Nick Saban has 90% vaccinated *in* the program, wants that to be higher.
That Alabama real is our 25 counties in microcosm here, it seems
We, Illinois, need to keep pushing, for all our sakes.
- Enviro - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 3:26 pm:
Thanks for the weekly COVID update and the link: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19
It almost looks like the daily cases this month are similar to July 2020 cases.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
“Kay Ivey complaining”
Very rightfully so. 100% with her on this issue. Almost everyone dying and getting severely ill is unvaccinated.
- Stormsw7706/4 - Friday, Jul 23, 21 @ 4:05 pm:
Thanks to all of you who are vaccinated. By far the majority of Americans and Illinois citizens. I have 3 grandchildren under 5. There is no vaccine for kids under 12. Do it for them. I know dozens of quiet thoughtful parents (as a retired educator) who will not be sending their kids to elementary schools next year without a mask mandate. There are economic situations here also We cancelled a trip to southern Illinois because of their case rate and we were planning on heading to Hermann MO in August. Trips off. Be slave everyone. Get a shot and mask up again