* Reported cases are up 24 percent from last Friday, about the same as last week’s rise. More importantly, hospitalizations are up 10.4 percent. While not good, that’s about half the increase of last week’s 19 percent rise. The number of deaths is unchanged from last week. IDPH…

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 30,633 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 46 deaths since April 29, 2022. According to the CDC, 14 counties in Illinois are now rated at the Medium Community Level, including nine counties in the northeast part of the state and five in the central part. At the Medium Community Level, people at risk of severe health outcomes are advised to take additional precautions to protect themselves from the virus, including masking up in indoor spaces.

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,169,315 cases, including 33,660 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.

As of last night, 808 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 66 patients were in the ICU and 24 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 240 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.

The CDC reported that 14 Illinois counties are now listed at the Medium Community Level: Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will and Winnebago in northeastern Illinois; and Sangamon, Champaign, Douglas, Logan and McLean in the center of the state. At the Medium Community Level, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places. In addition, they should make sure to get up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines or get their 2nd booster, if eligible.

“The public should pay close attention to these rising Community Levels, but we would stress this not a cause for alarm,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars. “People who are at risk of severe outcomes should exercise caution. And if someone does test positive, then they 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.”

IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare providers in efforts to increase their inventories of the various FDA-authorized treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations in Illinois - including all the major retail pharmacies. More than 96.7% of the state’s population is within a 10-mile radius of one of these locations.

IDPH Director Tokars stressed: “It is not too late to get vaccinated if you have been waiting to do so. Vaccines are widely available, and everybody is welcome. If you need help finding a location near you, just go to www.vaccines.gov or call your local health department.”

A total of 22,018,536 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 14,163 doses. Since April 29, 2022, 99,144 doses were reported administered in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 76% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 68% of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated, and more than 51% of the vaccinated population is boosted according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data indicates that the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes from COVID-19 is much higher for unvaccinated people than for those who are up to date on their vaccinations.

State health officials are stressing the following precautions for those who are at high risk for serious illness:

• Get vaccinated and stay up-to-date on recommended booster shots to protect yourself, your loved ones and friends.
• If you are in an area with rising COVID-19 infections, wear a mask if entering indoor spaces with other people present and consider avoiding large gatherings.
• Stick to well-ventilated areas if you are not wearing a mask indoors around other people.
• If you feel flu-like symptoms, self-isolate and stay home from work as well as social gatherings; and obtain a test as quickly as possible.
• If you test positive, talk to your provider immediately so you can get COVID-19 treatment within five days of starting to feel sick. Also, communicate about the positive result with any persons you have been in close contact within two days of falling sick or testing positive.
• Continue to frequently wash your hands and cover coughs and sneezes.

All data are provisional and are subject to change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.

Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.

The federal government has established a new website that provides an all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks, treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the country at: https://www.covid.gov/.