Breakthrough COVID-19 hospitalizations decline as Illinois sets new record for people in hospital with COVID-19

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 279 breakthrough COVID-19 hospitalizations for the past week, and 153 breakthrough deaths. It’s a 45% week-over-week decrease in breakthrough hospitalizations.

Illinois has seen a continued increase in total COVID-19 hospitalizations – a 25% increase in the past week alone – eclipsing 6,800 total active hospitalized patients for the first time ever during the pandemic.

Breakthrough is defined as an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 at least 14 days after being fully vaccinated and did not test positive in the previous 45 days. It does not take into account booster shots.

Analysis of new hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness in the state over the past week put breakthrough hospitalizations at 6.94% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in Illinois in the past week. This means those who are not fully vaccinated made up 93.06% of COVID-19 hospital admissions in the past week. This data also does not take booster doses into account. Breakthrough deaths accounted for 36.2% of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois last week.

COVID-19-like illness is defined as a if a patient presents with a fever and either cough, difficulty breathing or is given a diagnosis of COVID-19.

There have been a total of 6,087 breakthrough hospitalizations, and 7,743,886 of the state’s population is fully vaccinated. Of the fully vaccinated population in the state, 99.921% have not been hospitalized with a breakthrough COVID-19 infection.

There have been 1,674 total breakthrough COVID-19 deaths in Illinois.

The IDPH also released new data about breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths, showing the majority of breakthrough hospitalizations happening in the elderly population.

For breakthrough hospitalizations:

71% are 65 or older (4,276 total breakthrough hospitalizations in this group)

29% are between 18 and 64 years old (1,786 total breakthrough hospitalizations in this group)

Fewer than 1% are 17 or younger (25 total breakthrough hospitalizations in this group)

71% have at least one underlying condition or are immunocompromised

For breakthrough deaths:

87% were 65 or older

13% were between 18 and 64

53% had at least one underlying condition or were immunocompromised

IDPH reported a new single-day state record 32,279 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 79 additional deaths Wednesday.

For Tuesday, the state administered 59,981 shots.

The state received the results of 205,225 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday afternoon. The state’s positivity rate went up to 14.2%

Illinois has seen 2,295,445 total cases of the virus, and 28,156 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 45,510,637 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Tuesday, Illinois had a pandemic-record 6,842 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 1,135 were in intensive care units, and 663 were on ventilators.

For the second consecutive day, four of the state’s health care regions remain in the single digits for available, staffed ICU beds.

Illinois currently has 2,981 total staffed ICU beds, an overnight increase of six staffed, available ICU beds, and nearly identical to what the state’s total was near the beginning of the pandemic in April 2020, according to available state data.

The regions with single-digit ICU beds available:

Region 1 (DeKalb County, Sauk Valley, Rockford): 5 ICU beds available out of 141.

Region 4 (Metro East, near St. Louis): 5 ICU beds available out of 103.

Region 5 (southern Illinois): 4 ICU beds available out of 80. This region ran out of open ICU beds in September during the delta variant surge.

Region 7 (Will and Kankakee counties): 6 ICU beds available out of 133.

COVID-19 positive patients now occupy 38% of the state’s ICU beds.

Vaccine update: As of Wednesday, IDPH reported a total of 21,525,535 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 19,417,187 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 7,743,886 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 60.78%. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people. Also, 3,243,169 people have received a booster dose, or 25.4% of the state’s population. Among 5-11 year olds, 29.39% have received at least one vaccine dose and 20.6% are fully vaccinated.

CDC numbers:

Among Illinois residents 5 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 8,161,848 (68.4%)

At Least 1 Dose: 9,201,185 (77.2%)

Among Illinois residents 12 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 7,923,263 (73.1%)

At Least 1 Dose: 8,856,730 (81.7%)

Among Illinois residents 18 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 7,345,675 (74.5%)

At Least 1 Dose: 8,211,894 (83.3%)

Among Illinois residents 65 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 1,773,114 (86.8%)

At Least 1 Dose: 1,948,713 (95%)

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: 63.01%

Suburban Cook: 67.20%

Lake: 64.73%

McHenry: 61.59%

DuPage: 71.10%

Kane: 61.30%

Will: 61.81%

Kendall: 63.68%

La Salle: 54.55%

Grundy: 53.53%

DeKalb: 52.76%

Ogle: 53.07%

Lee: 55.70%

Whiteside: 49.05%

Bureau: 52.71%

Regional update: All 11 regions in the state are in Phase 5.

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

The North Suburban (McHenry and Lake counties) region’s positivity rate increased to 17.6%. Currently, 15% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, McHenry County’s seven-day positivity rate average increased to 20.6%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 16.5%.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable one out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to a total of 314 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The West Suburban (DuPage and Kane counties) region’s positivity rate increased to 21%. Currently, 13% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 23.3%, and DuPage County’s increased to 20.1%.

Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to 662 total COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The South Suburban (Will and Kankakee counties) region’s positivity rate increased to 21.8%. Currently, 4.5% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to 352 total COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The North (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) region’s positivity rate increased to 17.4%.

Currently, 3.5% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate increased to 22.2%, Lee County’s rate increased to 14.3%, and Whiteside County’s went up to 16.1%.

Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to 317 total COVID-19 hospitalizations.

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 increased to 20.2%.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 18%. Currently, 11% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have increased for 10 out of the past 10 days. The region is up to a total of 493 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

Chicago’s positivity rate increased to 18.7%. Currently, 10% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days.

Suburban Cook County’s positivity rate increased to 19.1%. Currently, 10% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.