COVID-19 In Illinois: Infection Rate, Hospitalizations Fall To New Pandemic Lows
CHICAGO (CBS) -- New cases and hospitalizations from COVID-19 in Illinois continue to fall, with the state's average infection rate reaching a new all-time low on Friday.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 626 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases on Friday, as well as 15 more deaths.
Illinois is averaging 586 new cases per day over the past week, down 59% from two weeks ago. It's also the lowest daily case average in more than a year, since the last seven days of March 2020.
Since the start of the pandemic, Illinois has reported a total of 1,384,365 cases, including 22,880 deaths.
The seven-day average statewide case positivity rate in Illinois is down to 1.3%, the lowest ever reported by IDPH.
As of Thursday night, a total of 901 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Illinois, the fewest ever reported since the state began tracking virus hospitalizations in April 2020. Illinois is averaging 1,040 hospitalizations per day over the past week, down 31% from two weeks ago.
Vaccination rates are still dropping, however. Illinois is averaging 36,025 doses per day over the past week, down 38% from one week ago, and down 73% from the April peak.
A total of 5,347,362 people in Illinois have been fully vaccinated as of Thursday night, accounting for 41.97% of the population.