IDPH: Regions 1, 2 ‘on track’ to move to Phase 4 on Monday

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,292 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 40 additional deaths Sunday, and a total of 681,473 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

The IDPH also announced that Region 1 (northwestern Illinois, including DeKalb, Lee and Whiteside counties) and Region 2 (north-central Illinois, including Kendall, La Salle, Grundy and Bureau counties) will likely advance to Phase 4 of the state’s mitigation plans as of Monday, further opening up indoor dining capacity limits and allowing for intraconference and intraregion competition for high school sports.

“If all the mitigation metrics continue to improve, Regions 1 and 2 will move into Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan on Monday,” according to a news release.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate decreased from 4.9% to 4.8%. The state received the results of 90,138 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,101,819 total cases of the virus, and 18,750 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 15,409,832 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Saturday, Illinois had 2,994 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the first time since Oct. 28 that the state has reported fewer than 3,000 coronavirus patients. Of those, 617 were in intensive care units, and 321 were on ventilators.

To see definitions of key terms used in our COVID-19 updates, read this article titled “Feeling lost in keeping up with the news?”

Vaccine update: As of Saturday, the IDPH reported a total of 1,636,775 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 681,473 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 136,119, or 1.07%, of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, meaning they have gotten all doses recommended for the vaccine they received. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people.

There can be as much as a 72-hour delay in reporting from health care providers on vaccines administered.

In northern Illinois, here is the percentage of the population fully vaccinated by county:

• Chicago: 1.18%
• Suburban Cook: 1.11%
• Lake: 0.96%
• McHenry: 0.72%
• DuPage: 1.62%
• Kane: 0.89%
• Will: 1.14%
• Kendall: 1.18%
• La Salle: 0.86%
• Grundy: 0.57%
• DeKalb: 0.53%
• Ogle: 1.05%
• Lee: 0.65%
• Whiteside: 0.87%
• Bureau: 1%

Regional update: Suburban Cook County and the city of Chicago – also called Regions 10 and 11 – advanced Saturday to Tier 1 mitigations, which is less restrictive than Tier 2 mitigations, and allows for limited indoor dining at bars and restaurants so long as COVID-19 metrics continue to improve or remain stable.

Click here for a definition of each phase and tier, and what is open/available.

Regions 4, 8 and 9 are in Tier 2 mitigations, which do not allow for indoor dining. Regions 1, 2, 7, 10 and 11 also are in Tier 1 mitigations, although Region 1 and 2 will likely advance out on Monday. Regions 3, 5 and 6 have moved onto Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, which permits meetings and social events of up to 50 people or 50% of a room capacity, among other business activities.

Regional data from the IDPH remains on a three-day lag.

How can a region advance a tier?

In order to move to Tier 1 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate between 6.5 and 8% for three consecutive days, as measured by the seven-day rolling average.
• Greater than or equal to 20% available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a seven-day rolling average.
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a seven-day average.

In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:

• A test positivity rate less than or equal to 6.5% for three consecutive days, as measured by the seven-day rolling average.
• Greater than or equal to 20% available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a seven-day rolling average.
• No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a seven-day average.

Regional data from the IDPH remains on a three-day lag.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen one day below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate and zero days below the 6.5% threshold to move into Phase 4. The region’s positivity rate decreased from 8% to 7.5%. Currently, 27% of ICU beds are available.

The region has never fallen below the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability since tracking began June 13.

Within this region, McHenry County’s seven-day positivity rate average decreased to 9.1%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 6.9%.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable eight out of the past 10 days in this region.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen four consecutive days below 8% and zero days below the 6.5% threshold. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 7.2%. Currently, 30% of ICU beds are available.

The region has 42 consecutive days over the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average fell to 8%, and DuPage County’s fell to 6.8%.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable six out of the past 10 days in this region.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen six days at or below 8% and zero days below the 6.5% threshold. The region’s positivity rate fell to 7.2%. Currently, 26% of ICU beds are available.

The region has 24 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability.

Hospitalizations have remained stable or decreased eight out of the past 10 days in this region.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) saw its positivity rate fall below the 6.5% positivity rate needed to advance to Phase 4 for the second straight day. It is now 6.2%. Currently, 30% of ICU beds are available.

The region has 42 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate rose to 10.8%, Lee County’s rate rose to 1.1% and Whiteside County’s rate rose to 6.6%.

Hospitalizations have decreased nine out of the past 10 days in this region.

The North-Central region (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) has seen two days at or below 6.5%, the threshold need to advance to Phase 4. The region’s positivity rate fell to 6.1%.

Currently, 31% of ICU beds are available.

The region has 30 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability.

Hospitalizations have been stable or decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate decreased to 5.9%.

Chicago has seen four days of positivity rates below 8% and zero under the 6.5% threshold. The region’s positivity fell rose to 7.2%. Currently, 37% of ICU beds are available.

The region has 42 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability.

Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Suburban Cook County has seen four days of positivity rates below 8% and zero below the 6.5% threshold. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 7.7%. Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available.

The region has 23 consecutive days below the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability.

Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

To see how other regions across the state are doing, see the full IDPH dashboard here.

Newly reported deaths include:

• Clinton County: 1 male 70s
• Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 6 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 2 females 90s
• DeKalb County: 1 male 70s
• Dewitt County: 1 male 90s
• DuPage County: 1 female 100+
• Effingham County: 1 male 70s
• Jefferson County: 1 female 70s
• Knox County: 1 male 70s
• Lake County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s
• Logan County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
• Macon County: 1 female 80s
• Madison County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 60s
• McHenry County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
• McLean County: 1 male 70s
• Stephenson County: 1 male 50s
• Will County: 1 male 60s
• Winnebago County: 1 male 80s