IDPH: 4 Illinois counties at ‘high’ COVID-19 risk

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting four counties in the state are at an elevated community level for COVID-19, compared with two the previous week. Of those, zero counties are at “high” risk for COVID-19, the same as the week before; and four counties are at “medium” risk, compared with two last week.

The counties at medium risk in Illinois are: Macoupin, Montgomery, Jefferson and Wayne.

In counties at medium risk, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places. They should also get up to date on COVID-19 vaccines or get their bivalent booster, if eligible.

With the national and state Public Health Emergencies for COVID -19 due to expire on May 11, IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra is reminding Illinois residents about potential changes that they may experience surrounding COVID-19 care and resources.

“Illinois continues to see low COVID-19 case rates across Illinois,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a news release. “As only two weeks remain until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and statewide disaster declaration, it is important for residents to understand how they will be affected. The good news is that access to COVID-19 vaccinations and certain treatments, like Paxlovid, will generally not be affected as coverage will transfer from the public health system to more traditional health care coverage. However, coverage for COVID-19 testing, especially at-home COVID-19 testing, may change depending on your health insurance provider. Please reach out to your health care provider for your most up-to-date information.”

The IDPH has recorded a total of 4,131,817 cases and 36,822 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic. The department is reporting 3,963 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois in the week ending April 23, and 19 deaths.

A total of 26,159,348 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of Friday. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 4,345 doses, including the bivalent booster and first doses. Since April 21, 21,232 vaccine doses were reported administered in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 79% have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 71% have completed their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines, and more than 20% have received the bivalent booster dose, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of Thursday night, 475 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 49 patients were in the ICU, the first time the state has been under 50 COVID-19 patients in the ICU since the start of the pandemic, and 14 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 33 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.

Weekly case rate per 100,000: 31.1

Percentage of ICU beds available: 22%

COVID-19-diagnosed hospital admissions (seven-day rolling average): 45 (Down 11 from a week ago)

Weekly deaths reported: 19 (Up 10 from the previous week)

“The good news is that access to COVID-19 vaccinations and certain treatments, like Paxlovid, will generally not be affected as coverage will transfer from the public health system to more traditional health care coverage.”

—  IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra