Rate of new COVID-19 cases in McHenry County continues to levels seen last July

The rate of new COVID-19 cases in McHenry County has leveled out in recent weeks, McHenry County Department of Health data shows.

The county’s COVID-19 incidence rate declined to 55.9 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days as of Saturday, which continues to be on par with numbers from mid-July, according to McHenry County health department data.

McHenry County now has seen 75,983 total cases, including 475 deaths and 45 deaths that likely were caused by COVID-19 but have not been confirmed, the McHenry County health department reported Thursday. That tally is up 127 from Wednesday.

One additional deaths where COVID-19 is thought to be the probable cause was reported. That death took place March 16, county data shows.

The level of transmission in McHenry County remained low under the newest framework released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, county data shows.

That means the county saw fewer than 200 cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days; the number of people being admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 was fewer than 10 per 100,000 residents, also over seven days; and the percentage of staffed in-patient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients was less than 10%, as measured by a seven-day average, according to the CDC.

Hospitalizations across McHenry and Lake counties increased to 22 total COVID-19 patients as of Wednesday, as measured by a seven-day rolling average, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported. Tuesday’s mark of 20 was the lowest total since July 17.

The region saw hospitalizations decline or remain stable eight of the past 10 days, state data shows.

Hospital intensive care unit availability remained at 28% as of Wednesday in the two counties, which is the fourth straight day that number declined or remained stable, state data showed. The mark remains around the same level as last July and early August, fluctuating between 28% and 31% since March 17.

Across Illinois, the number of hospitalizations tied to COVID-19 dropped to 461 patients as of Wednesday, the IDPH reported. Of those hospitalized, 58 patients were in the ICU and 22 were on ventilators.

An additional 158 vaccines were administered in McHenry County on Wednesday, bringing the total to 510,396 in the county, the IDPH reported. The state reported that 104,344 booster shots have been administered in the county.

A total of 200,307, or an estimated 64.91% of McHenry County’s population, are now fully vaccinated, meaning they’ve received all doses recommended for the vaccine they were given.

Statewide, 21,354,847 vaccine doses have been administered, according to state data.

Across Illinois, 81.2% of those age 5 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine against COVID-19, and 72.4% are fully vaccinated, the IDPH reported Thursday. Those rates are 85% and 75.9% for those age 12 and older, 86.4% and 77.1% for people 18 and older, and 95% and 87.7% for those age 65 and older, respectively.

Statewide, another 1,592 cases were logged on Thursday, as well as an additional 19 deaths. This brings the totals to 3,068,237 cases, 33,377 confirmed deaths and 4,290 probable deaths.

Neighboring Lake County’s health department reported a total of 123,648 cases and 1,360 deaths through Wednesday. To the south, Kane County’s health department reported 125,781 cases and 1,121 deaths as of Thursday.

Among McHenry County ZIP codes, Crystal Lake (60014) has the highest total number of COVID-19 cases over the course of the pandemic with a total of 12,386 confirmed, according to county data. McHenry (60050) follows with 8,676.

The McHenry County health department reports ZIP code data only for parts within McHenry County, a department spokeswoman said. Any discrepancies between county and IDPH numbers likely are because of the data’s provisional nature and because each health department finalizes its data at different times, she said.

The following is the rest of the local breakdown of cases by ZIP code: Woodstock (60098) 7,796 cases; Lake in the Hills (60156) 7,312; Huntley (60142) 6,083; Cary (60013) 5,753; Algonquin (60102) 5,361; Johnsburg and McHenry (60051) 4,635; Harvard (60033) 3,762; Marengo (60152) 2,749; Crystal Lake, Bull Valley and Prairie Grove (60012) 2,689; Wonder Lake (60097) 2,680; Spring Grove (60081) 1,538; Fox River Grove (60021) 1,175; Island Lake (60042) 973; Richmond (60071) 718; Hebron (60034) 431; Barrington (60010) 348; Union (60180) 297; and Ringwood and Wonder Lake (60072) 194.