May 20 briefing: Dr. Ngozi Ezike says hospitalizations for coronavirus in Illinois have reached their lowest level since the state began tracking such data.
Illinois health officials reported 2,388 new cases of coronavirus Wednesday, lifting the statewide total over 100,000.
Currently, the state's total number of confirmed coronavirus cases since the pandemic began sits at 100,418.
Health officials also reported 147 additional deaths in the last 24 hours. The state's death toll is now at 4,525, according to data released by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Over the last 24 hours, 21,029 test results have been returned, with 11.4 percent of tests coming back positive. The total number of tests conducted since the pandemic began now sits at 642,713 as of Wednesday.
The increase comes at the same time the state reported a decrease in hospitalizations related to COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, 3,914 people were hospitalized, with 1,005 in intensive care units. A total of 554 patients were on ventilators.
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said those were the lowest hospitalization numbers since the state began capturing such data.
All four state healthcare regions remain within the limits prescribed by the governor's phased reopening plan, meaning that they will likely be eligible to move to phase three of the plan by month's end.
Illinois remains under a stay-at-home order through May 30, but some regions could begin loosening restrictions as early as May 29.
