Coronavirus In Illinois: 2,166 New COVID-19 Cases, 25 Additional Deaths
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Public health officials announced 2,166 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Illinois on Thursday, as well as 25 additional deaths.
The new cases reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health account for 3.3% of the 65,615 new tests announced on Thursday. The statewide seven-day average positivity rate stands at 3.5%, down from 4.3% a month ago, and matching the lowest that rate has been since late July. The average positivity rate, the primary metric used to calculate the spread of the novel coronavirus, was as high as 18% during the peak of the pandemic in mid-May.
Since the start of the pandemic, IDPH has reported a total of 295,440 coronavirus cases, including 8,696 deaths.
As of Wednesday night, 1,635 virus patients were being treated in Illinois hospitals, including 359 patients in intensive care, and 149 on ventilators. The state's coronavirus hospitalization figures have been relatively flat since late June, even as overall cases were steadily rising for most of July and August.