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7,214 new confirmed and probable cases; 103 additional deaths; 4,951 hospitalized; 1,070 in ICU; 8.7 percent case positivity rate; 10.3 percent test positivity rate

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Illinois

* The downward curve continues ever so slightly. Press release…

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 7,214 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 103 additional deaths.

Boone County: 1 male 80s
Cook County: 1 male 20s, 1 female 40s, 2 males 40s, 3 females 50s, 3 males 50s, 11 females 60s, 14 males 60s, 9 females 70s, 7 males 70s, 5 females 80s, 12 males 80s, 11 females 90s, 9 males 90s
Fayette County: 1 female 80s
Jackson County: 1 male 60s
Kane County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Lake County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
LaSalle County: 1 female 80s
Mason County: 1 male 60s
McHenry County: 1 female 90s
Monroe County: 1 male 70s
St. Clair County: 1 male 70s
Wabash County: 1 female 80s
Will County: 1 female 70s

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 856,118 cases, including 14,394 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 92,256 specimens for a total 11,869,088. As of last night, 4,951 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,070 patients were in the ICU and 621 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from December 7 – December 13, 2020 is 8.7%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from December 7 – December 13, 2020 is 10.3%.

*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. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 12:33 pm

Comments

Numbers improving, quickly, everywhere.
But all mitigations extended anyway.

What’s the quickest way to make sure no one listens to you? Make rules, set criteria, and then ignore both.

Comment by JB13 Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 12:44 pm
Read the headline. It’s accurate.

Comment by walker Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 12:46 pm
===Numbers improving, quickly, everywhere.
But all mitigations extended anyway.===

Have you ever heard of cause and effect? Why do you think the numbers are improving, doofus?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 12:46 pm
== Numbers improving, quickly, everywhere.
But all mitigations extended anyway. ==

Perhaps numbers continue to improve due to mitigations. Roll them back, and here we go again…

Improving numbers are a sign that mitigation works. Not a sign that we should throw caution to the winds, declare victory, and return to pre COVID life and behaviors just yet.

Comment by DownSouth Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 12:47 pm
==Make rules, set criteria, and then ignore both.==

And yet despite telling people to work at home when possible, not allowing that option for many State Employees that still have to report to work daily (with no current remote work options) while in Tier 3. Including many in the Capitol Complex and downtown.

Comment by Essential State Employee Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 12:48 pm
@Essential - I’ve been at work every day. Glad to do it. Happy to be employed. Some people can work from home, others can’t. I took a five percent base pay cut this year and lost low five figures of freelance work. And I have it good. Sorry you have to go to office.

It is my hope that once a region hits the right time to roll back to Tier 2 it happens. The only grace I’ll give the Governor is if he comes out and says Tier 3 holds through Dec. 31 and then once in 2021 if your region qualifies then you move forward.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 12:56 pm
= The only grace I’ll give the Governor is if he comes out and says Tier 3 holds through Dec. 31 and then once in 2021 if your region qualifies then you move forward.=

Yeah, because that worked so well the first time around, and he has to account for the covidiots as well.

Stay in Tier 3 until vaccinations ramp up.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 1:02 pm
===Numbers improving, quickly, everywhere.
But all mitigations extended anyway.===

Have you ever heard of cause and effect? Why do you think the numbers are improving, doofus? (Thx Rich)

This is the point that needs to be explained to the bar and restaurant owners along with the local Aldermen who are pushing the Mayor to open back up to 25% indoor dining.

We are just now seeing a downwards turn. Who wants to spend Christmas in the hospital? We’ve got to start using our heads and be smart or we’ll never recover.

Comment by Club J Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 1:14 pm
Meanwhile Sweden, poster child for the Devores of the world, continues to fall into the abyss: https://fortune.com/2020/12/13/sweden-frontline-health-care-workers-quitting-covid/

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 1:21 pm
@JS - In general I agree. But JB has metrics. Follow them. If it doesn’t work, drag the state back to Tier 3.

Between a level of herd immunity (due to stupid people infecting themselves at an alarming rate and the rollout of the vaccine) there is a needle to thread here to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed and businesses over the next 60 to 90 days.

@Club - In Region 3 it’s been 11 days under 12% positivity with only two days where the rate increased day over day. One of those days was point one percent. We have been seeing a downwards run for a little while now. It just takes time to see it as that.

This from a guy who hasn’t been in a restaurant since March. So I’m not in a rush to go anywhere. But, JB set the rules on the playgroud - he needs to follow them.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 1:29 pm
We are 9 months into the current plague, with another 9 months likely, especially if the AstraZeneca vaccine (#3 in the pipeline) is delayed. Defiance of public health orders will accelerate the decline of small-town and rural America more than anything else in the near term.

Comment by Ares Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 1:43 pm
==If it doesn’t work, drag the state back to Tier 3.==

Australia has been at ZERO cases since November 1st. Would you like to know how?

Comment by Jocko Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 1:47 pm
@Jocko - I heard its an island/snark

I’m done comparing the US to the world. It’s clear the United State’s and a good portion of its citizens aren’t going to do what’s needed to support a nationwide suppression of the virus. We lost that chance in May or June of this year. Now really the only choice is to putter along until a vaccine starts to protect hundreds of millions of us. I’m shamed by that. And it’s now how I’ve lived since March but its the truth as I see it.

Also to the AUS story - it has to help they are now headed to summer. But they beat this nasty bug back before they won with a break in the weather. But it does look like when you do things like eat and drink outside the community viral load is far less - the southern hemisphere catches a break.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:01 pm
According to Rt.live, the infection rate peaked in mid-October and bottomed-out in early November. The infection rate has not declined since early November, it has held steady.

https://rt.live/us/IL

Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:13 pm
===the infection rate===

That’s not really an accurate measurement. We’ve covered that on the blog.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:16 pm
300,000 people…more than the entire population of Toledo, Ohio are dead…many needlessly.

The result of monstrous intentional neglect.

Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:24 pm
The virus is no longer just affecting people I don’t know, or that I hear about after they’ve come home from the hospital. A few of those did come home with long term issues that will affect the quality and quantity of life. But, I haven’t had to send any sympathy cards to a grieving member yet. Now a long time friend is in the hospital - one of those 621 people on a vent.
I really don’t have any sympathy for people who can’t get their favorite drink at their favorite bar, or are throwing money at Lawyer Devore. I have sympathy for people whose livelihoods are threatened, but I’m more concerned with lives.
Covid has also landed at an assisted living housing people close to me- so far they are ok and negative.
Please take this virus seriously

Comment by thoughts matter Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:32 pm
Cool Papa Bell - Australia cracked down hard on social distancing/mask violators - home poker games received $7,000 USD fines. Japan/S. Korea/Taiwan are north hemisphere and stayed far more open than we have. Canada has far lower case/death rates. And as I posted, Sweden’s “hands off” approach has failed miserably, to the point that they have stricter rules now than Chicago (and I’d bet will be far better adhered to).

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:42 pm
We need to remain in mitigation through the New Year. Germany has it right. Be preemptive and you can help reduce the spread. That is how Australia, New Zealand and other countries have been successful.

Comment by illinifan Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:42 pm
=== That’s not really an accurate measurement. ===

Are you suggesting the website data is off, or the infection rate isn’t important?

Because in May, IDPH and Gov Pritzker said it was very important:

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/r0-r-naught-the-coronavirus-number-you-should-be-paying-attention-to/2270111/

“R0, ‘R-Naught,’ The Coronavirus Number You Should be Paying Attention to”

Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 2:57 pm
@ LCD - I think we agree… Those counties addressed the severity of the outbreak and had widespread community buy-in for masks and distance. America largely wasn’t up for it. It’s shameful.

But I’ve been to a few of those countries and can tell you I’m not shocked to see that they did it right. Talked to a friend in Hong Kong before Thanksgiving and its night and day between here and there.

To clarify about the weather - after all the good work done “down under” they get the added benefit of keeping the virus suppressed during their spring and summer. That’s all I’m trying to say.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 3:17 pm
CPB - Yes, agree with all. It’s amazing to think of all the inconvenience during WWII civilians stoically put up with and how little so many were willing to put up with this past year.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 4:08 pm
Thoughts,

I lost a college classmate to the virus. I had people who were sick with it before but he was the first fatality I personally knew. He was an otherwise healthy early 50s old. Played on a softball team pre-Covid.

Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Dec 14, 20 @ 5:02 pm