COVID-19 In Illinois: Lowest Daily Caseload In More Than A Year; Lowest Infection Rate And Fewest Hospitalizations Ever Reported
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 244 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 on Monday, the fewest new cases of the virus reported in more than a year.
Monday's caseload is the lowest reported by the state since March 23, 2020.
Illinois is averaging 472 new cases per day over the past week, down 64% from two weeks ago. That's also the lowest 7-day case average since late March 2020.
In addition to the new cases reported on Monday, IDPH also reported 14 more coronavirus deaths. Since the start of the pandemic, Illinois has reported a total of 1,385,489 cases, including 22,963 deaths.
Meantime, Illinois also reported the fewest hospitalizations and the lowest average infection rate on record during the entire pandemic.
The statewide-seven day average case positivity rate is down to 1.1%, the lowest ever reported by IDPH.
As of Sunday night, a total of 788 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in Illinois, the fewest reported in a single day since the state started tracking COVID hospitalizations last April. Illinois is averaging 915 hospitalizations per day the past week, down 37% from two weeks ago.
However, while the COVID-19 vaccination rate has started ticking up slightly the past few days, daily vaccinations still lag far behind their peak in mid-April. Illinois is averaging 39,048 doses per day over the past week, up 9% from three days ago, but down 22% from a week ago, and down 70% from the April 12 peak.
A total of 5,577,098 people in Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 43.77% of the population.
According to IDPH, more than 68% of Illinois adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 51% of Illinois adults have been fully vaccinated.