Two weeks from a full reopening, Illinois sees huge drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 982 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 21 additional deaths Friday, and a total of 11,175,656 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

For Thursday, the state reported administering 62,274 shots.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate stayed flat at 1.9%. The state received the results of 56,438 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Friday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,380,26 total cases of the virus, and 22,739 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 24,490,663 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Thursday, Illinois had 1,216 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the fewest since March 21, and a decline of exactly 100 hospitalized patients from the previous day. Of those, 314 were in intensive care units, and 172 were on ventilators.

Vaccine update: As of Friday, IDPH reported a total of 13,571,125 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 11,175,656 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 5,208,410 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 40.88%. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people.

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

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

Chicago: 40.70%

Suburban Cook: 43.71%

Lake: 39.41%

McHenry: 39.33%

DuPage: 48.39%

Kane: 39.04%

Will: 39.14%

Kendall: 40.36%

La Salle: 34.87%

Grundy: 35.99%

DeKalb: 34.58%

Ogle: 35.90%

Lee: 36.19%

Whiteside: 35.74%

Bureau: 34.71%

Regional update: All 11 regions in the state are in the bridge phase, the final phase before a full reopening of the state’s businesses.

Barring any setbacks in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations or deaths, the state will enter Phase 5 on Friday, June 11.

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

The North Suburban (McHenry and Lake counties) region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 2.2%. Currently, 31% of ICU beds are available.

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

Within this region, McHenry County’s seven-day positivity rate average increased to 5.0%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 1.6%.

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

The West Suburban (DuPage and Kane counties) region’s positivity rate decreased to 4.3%. Currently, 24% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity decreased to 5.2%, and DuPage County’s stayed flat at 3.9%.

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

The South Suburban (Will and Kankakee counties) region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 3.0%. Currently, 23% of ICU beds are available.

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

The North (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago counties) region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 3.5%.

Currently, only 18% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate increased to 8.1%, Lee County’s rate decreased to 0.5%, and Whiteside County’s stayed flat at 0.9%.

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

The North-Central (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, and Woodford counties) region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 2.6%.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 2.3%.

Currently, 21% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable for 10 out of the past 10 days.

Chicago’s positivity rate decreased to 2.7%.

Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable for 10 out of the past 10 days.

Suburban Cook County’s positivity rate decreased to 2.8%.

Currently, 18% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable nine 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:

• Cook County: 1 male teen, 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 males 70s, 2 males 80s

• DuPage County: 1 male 80s

• Kane County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s

• McHenry County: 1 female 70s

• Peoria County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s

• Will County: 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s

• Winnebago County: 1 female 50s