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* Highest number of hospitalizations since June 11. Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,862 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 49 additional confirmed deaths.
Adams County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
Christian County: 1 male 60s
Coles County: 1 male 80s
Cook County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 3 males 90s
DeKalb County: 1 female 60s
DuPage County: 2 females 80s
Ford County: 1 female 80s
Franklin County: 1 female 100+
Jefferson County: 1 male 70s
Jersey County: 1 female 90s
Jo Daviess County: 1 female 90s
Kane County: 1 male 80s
Knox County: 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
Logan County: 2 male 80s
Madison County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
Marion County: 1 male 80s
Marshall County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
Peoria County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Randolph County: 1 male 80s
Rock Island County: 2 males 60s
Sangamon County: 1 male 50s, 2 males 70s
St. Clair County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Vermilion County: 1 male 80s
Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 female 90s
Winnebago County: 1 female 40s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Woodford County: 1 female 60sCurrently, IDPH is reporting a total of 327,605 cases, including 9,074 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from October 7 – October 13 is 4.6%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 52,669 specimens for a total of 6,463,923. As of last night, 1,974 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 390 patients were in the ICU and 153 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Beginning today, IDPH is adjusting how data for Region 6, east central Illinois, is reported to most accurately capture spread across the region. Champaign County and its data will continue to be included in Region 6, but University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign saliva testing will be broken out separately. This will allow us to better identify testing needs and trends in the region.
Starting tomorrow, IDPH will begin including both molecular and antigen tests in the number of statewide total test performed in Illinois. Previously, due to the limited number of antigen tests and limited information about antigen test accuracy, antigen tests were not included in the total number (which comprised less than 1% of total tests performed). Antigen tests, like BinaxNOW™, are now becoming more readily available, therefore, IDPH will include both molecular and antigen tests in its total number of tests starting October 15, 2020.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting separately both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*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 a death 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.
* Southern Illinois’ Region 5 hit the 8 percent positivity rate yesterday, but it dropped back down to 7.7 percent today. Gov. Pritzker warned today that three days above an average 8 percent positivity rate would trigger mitigations.
* Related…
* These Chicagoans Had Coronavirus And Never Got Better: ‘Long-Haulers’ Face Bizarre, Painful Symptoms After Recovery
* IDPH: Holiday Season Safety Tips
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 26 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that measure the amount of COVID-19 increase.
Twenty-six counties are currently reported at a warning level – Cass, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Effingham, Fayette, Henderson, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lee, Mason, Massac, Pulaski, Richland, Saline, Shelby, Union, Vermilion, Whiteside, Winnebago, Warren.
Although the reasons for counties reaching a warning level varies, some of the common factors for an increase in cases and outbreaks are associated with large gatherings and events, bars and clubs, weddings and funerals, university and college parties as well as college sports teams, family gatherings, long-term care facilities, correctional centers, schools, and cases among the community at large, especially people in their 20s.
Public health officials are observing businesses blatantly disregarding mitigation measures, people not social distancing, gathering in large groups, and not using face coverings. Mayors, local law enforcement, state’s attorneys, and other community leaders can be influential in ensuring citizens and businesses follow best practices.
Several counties are taking swift action to help slow spread of the virus, including increasing testing opportunities, stressing the importance of testing to providers, hiring additional contact tracers, working with schools, and meeting with local leaders.
After learning of an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 and visited a bar, the Whiteside County Health Department (WCHD) worked with the business and quickly alerted the community of potential exposures, helping limit spread of the virus. Additionally, WCHD provides pre-event consultations for establishments planning events that may draw larger crowds. Pre-event consultations include, educating businesses about the importance of masking and social distancing, as well as reviewing emergency rules, and guidance, and other ways to keep attendees and the community safe.
IDPH uses numerous indicators when determining if a county is experiencing stable COVID-19 activity, or if there are warning signs of increased COVID-19 risk in the county. A county is considered at the warning level when at least two of the following metrics triggers a warning.
New cases per 100,000 people. If there are more than 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the county, this triggers a warning.
Number of deaths. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly number of deaths increases more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
Weekly test positivity. This metric indicates a warning when the 7-day test positivity rate rises above 8%.
ICU availability. If there are fewer than 20% of intensive care units available in the region, this triggers a warning.
Weekly emergency department visits. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly percent of COVID-19-like-illness emergency department visits increase by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
Weekly hospital admissions. A warning is triggered when the weekly number of hospital admissions for COVID-19-like-illness increases by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
Tests performed. This metric is used to provide context and indicate if more testing is needed in the county.
Clusters. This metric looks at the percent of COVID-19 cases associated with clusters or outbreaks and is used to understand large increase in cases.These metrics are intended to be used for local level awareness to help local leaders, businesses, local health departments, and the public make informed decisions about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do. The metrics are updated weekly, from the Sunday-Saturday of the prior week.
A map and information of each county’s status can be found on the IDPH website at https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 12:11 pm
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Hospitalizations have risen almost 50% from the 1300s to almost 2000 in just a couple of weeks. Not good. It’s tough to be surrounded by so many Covid hotspots and stay low.
Comment by Southern Skeptic Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 12:13 pm
Region 6 w/o Champaign County is above 8 percent today.
Comment by RDB Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 12:22 pm
Know an ER doc in Chicago area. They have been saying for the past couple of weeks hospitals are filling up. Patients have to be held in ER for a long time before a bed opens and COVID cases coming in have been increasing. And it will only get worse.
Comment by illinifan Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 12:32 pm
Heard a change in some people’s feelings about dealing with the virus.
For the first time I’ve heard people who have been observant about social distancing and wearing mask and supporting the Gove., openly state they are not going to bypass Holiday events with friends and family.
Most say they will continue to take precautions but are saying the mental health of their family as well as the need for some sort of “normal” makes doing family Holiday events and traditions too important after having been forced to give up normal lives since March.
Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 12:47 pm
Thanks guv, but I think I’ll celebrate Christmas my own way. Nonsense like this is what turns people against precautions recommended by any government agency.
Comment by Cube Steak Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 1:15 pm
===I’ll celebrate Christmas my own way===
Your own way is killing people and the country.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 1:17 pm
cube steak- let’s hope you don’t spend New Year’s Day on a ventilator
Comment by Drake Mallard Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 1:21 pm
===I’ll celebrate Christmas my own way===
Killing grandma to own the libs is a helluva thought process there sparky.
Comment by Dee Lay Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 1:31 pm
=I’ll celebrate Christmas my own way.=
This isn’t about you, it’s about us. Our economy, our health care workers, our collective health and well-being, our ability to have many more Christmas’ in the future. Maybe you think that the risk is low for you personally. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. But the more that you and others like you decide to put your own needs and interests ahead of the rest of us the longer it will be before any of us can return to normal. And that’s not on the Governor or us, that’s on you.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 1:38 pm
Since our family wants to celebrate Christmas together we have agreed to isolate ourselves for two weeks prior. That way all of us will have limited our exposure prior to seeing each other. We currently do this now so we can visit with grandkids. They will socially connect, for a while, and during that period we visit by FaceTime only. Then the kids take a cooling off period where they don’t see friends for a while thus allowing us to see them outside. Sort of a way to manage things.
Comment by illinifan Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 1:41 pm
RDB
It should have been above awhile ago.
Their numbers for Coles under Region 6 have had significantly lower number of positives than the number of positives on their covid statistics page when looking at each date for Coles County.
Comment by all luck Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 1:42 pm
= Thanks guv, but I think I’ll celebrate Christmas my own way. ==
There were news stories yesterday about a man who hosted a family gathering of 6 people this spring. 14 ended up sick, Two died including his father in law. The man had thought it was all a hoax and now he feels incredible guilt.
I hope to gather with extended family at Thanksgiving and Christmas. But probably not - except for our own adult children, daughter In Law and grandchild. The rest are vulnerable and are limiting their exposure so they can see their own grandchildren.
Comment by thoughts matter Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 2:19 pm
To paraphrase what Alderman Michelle Smith said today, we don’t need more guidance, we need more enforcement.
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 3:08 pm
A disturbing discussion I heard among high schoolers: A classmate was infected, and now has no sense of taste or smell. So the classmate, at parties, has been showing off his ability to defeat hot sauces and hot peppers.
Comment by Southern Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 3:18 pm
I was in Effingham briefly this weekend.
Out of seven retail employees I encountered indoors, zero were wearing masks.
Out of 12 other retail customers I encountered, only one was wearing a mask. Her vehicle in the parking lot bore Missouri plates, I noticed.
A friend of mine is a Downstate family physician, going on 25 years of practicing medicine in rural Illinois. She warns of “compassion fatigue”: medical staff who are having a really hard time sympathizing with folks who find themselves stricken with a deadly disease because they ignored all of the public health warnings over the last seven months.
It’s like someone who drives drunk every day.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 3:40 pm
Cube Steak, those are guidelines not requirements, follow them, don’t follow them, but at least IDPH is outlining ways to mitigate risk as much as possible.
The fatigue we’re experiencing was 100% preventable. The lack of a solid federal plan and the inability to reduce infections to a lower level before lifting restrictions meant that COVID would just keep hanging around. The longer people go without the more fatigue sets in and the more people want to stop taking precautions. If only we had a president who took things seriously and actually cared about being a leader.
Comment by MyTwoCents Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 5:04 pm
To the people calling for “more enforcement”, I am wondering how you feel such enforcement should be implemented. Do you want to implement a police state lockdown? Who will be the enforcers? How long would it last? How will people go about meeting their basic needs such as shopping, exercise, social interaction. Are you advocating a Korean style model where we redefine our civil liberties and allow the government to track our movement via cell phones?
Comment by Fool on the Hill Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 5:41 pm
==Are you advocating a Korean style model==
Wow, that went up the crazy tree fast. We’re talking masks and distancing here, not 1984.
Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Oct 14, 20 @ 6:24 pm