Will County area sees big decline in COVID-19 hospital patients in past month

The number of hospital patients with COVID-19 in the Will County region declined by about 70% over the past month, according to the latest public health data.

Illinois Department of Public Health data showed that as of Wednesday, there were 122 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the Southwest Suburban Region, which includes Will and Kankakee counties. On Jan. 11, there were about 390 patients in the regions’ hospitals with the virus.

The trend of decreasing hospitalizations locally mirrors the trend around the state.

Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday that he plans to lift the state’s indoor mask mandate, citing the improving public health data.

Transmission of the virus has appeared to slow in Will County, as well.

The county’s rolling average COVID-19 test positivity rate as of early last week was 8.3%. About a month earlier, it was about 23%. IDPH data does not include the results from many at-home tests.

Sue Olenek, the director of the Will County Health Department, said last week that she thinks the local positivity rate will continue to fall through the early spring.

Still, COVID-19 has killed 1,443 people in Will County, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data.

Vaccinations have continued at about 1,200 shots a day in Will County.

About 64% of Will County’s population of about 700,000 residents is fully vaccinated, according to IDPH data. Just under 71% of the county’s residents have had at least one dose. A little more than 216,000 booster shots have been administered in the county.

For information about COVID-19 and where to find the nearest vaccine clinic, visit willcountyhealth.org or call 815-774-7386.