Fifteen Illinois counties, including several in the Chicago area, have transitioned to a “high community level” of the virus just ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The designation comes from guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An additional 30 counties in Illinois are also rated at a "medium community level," according to the CDC.
“With 15 counties in Illinois now rated at a high community level, everyone in the state should be paying close attention to the guidance from public health authorities and taking action to protect themselves, their loved ones, and friends,” IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars said in a statement.
According to the latest data from the CDC, six Illinois counties within the NBC 5 viewing area are among those at that “high community level” because of escalating case and hospitalization numbers.
That includes Cook County, which is averaging more than 320 new COVID cases per week per 100,000 residents and nearly 11 new COVID admissions per 100,000 residents.
McHenry, Lake, DuPage, Grundy and Will counties are also at a “high community level” of the virus, with the CDC recommending that residents wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
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Remaining counties include: Boone, Lee and Winnebago in northern Illinois and Fulton, Knox, Henderson, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell in central Illinois.
But as hospitalizations rise in most communities in the state, cases are beginning to fall. In fact, every county in the Chicago area saw decreases in their weekly number of COVID cases per 100,000 residents, including in Kankakee County, which dropped below 200 weekly cases per 100,000 residents.
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That moved Kankakee County back to the "low community level" of COVID, per CDC guidelines.
Under new guidelines released by the CDC, a county is considered to be at a “high community level” of COVID when its average number of weekly cases per 100,000 residents rises above 200, and when it either is averaging 10 weekly COVID hospital admissions or when it’s seeing 10% or more of its hospital beds occupied by COVID patients.
Here are the numbers by county in the Chicago area (community levels of COVID in parentheses):
Cook County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 323.77 (down from 367.34 last week)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8 last week)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3% last week)
DeKalb County (Medium) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 292.67 (down from 406.11)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 6.9 (down from 8.1)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.3% (up from 2.7%)
DuPage County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 341.96 (down from 439.91)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3%)
Grundy County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 217.42 (identical to last week)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 11.1 (up from 7.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 5.1% (up from 3.5%)
Kane County (Medium) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 270.28 (down from 322.12)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 6.9 (down from 8.1)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.3% (up from 2.7%)
Kankakee County (Low) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 198.43 (down from 222.1)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 7.3 (down from 8.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3% (up from 2.9%)
Kendall County (Medium) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 337.24 (down from 446.55)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 6.9 (down from 8.1)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.3% (up from 2.7%)
Lake County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 345.42 (down from 424.53)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3%)
LaSalle County (Medium) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 242.94 (down from 315.64)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 7.1 (identical to last week)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 2.2% (down from 2.8%)
McHenry County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 277.48 (down from 359.03)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3%)
Will County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 289.11 (down from 366.71)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 11.1 (up from 7.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 5.1% (up from 3.5%)
