Illinois health officials on Monday reported 2,944 new cases of coronavirus as well as 49 additional deaths attributed to the virus.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Monday's new cases brought the statewide total number of confirmed cases to 1,104,763 since the pandemic began. The fatalities reported Monday lifted the death toll to 18,798.
In the last 24 hours, Illinois officials said 74,202 test specimens were returned to state laboratories, putting the state at 15,484,034 tests performed during the pandemic.
The seven-day rolling positivity rate on all tests was 4.7%, down slightly from the day before. The positivity rate for unique individuals tested also dropped slightly to 5.8% Monday.
As of Sunday night, 2,962 patients in Illinois were hospitalized due to coronavirus. Of those patients, 601 were in intensive care units, while 302 were on ventilators.
Also as of Sunday night, 1,112,725 vaccines coronavirus vaccines had been delivered to providers across Illinois, while 550,050 doses had been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities, IDPH said. That brought the total number of doses sent to Illinois to 1,662,775.
A total of 11,290 doses were administered Sunday, officials said, lifting the total number of vaccine doses given in the state to 692,763, including 110,403 for long-term care facilities. The latest figures brought the 7-day rolling average administered daily to 28,171 doses, according to IDPH data.
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Illinois entered Phase 1B of its vaccination plan Monday, opening up vaccinations to people age 65 years and older as well as "frontline essential workers," which includes first responders, education workers like teachers and support staff, childcare workers, grocery store employees, postal service workers and more.
Phase 1B includes roughly 3.2 million Illinois residents, officials say.
Also over the past week, parts of Illinois have continued to lift some of the more stringent COVID-19 mitigations put in place in November amid a second wave of the pandemic.
IDPH said Monday that two regions are on track to move into Tier 1 mitigations, allowing for the return of limited indoor dining among other changes, on Tuesday if metrics continue to improve.
Those regions include Region 8, which includes west suburban DuPage and Kane counties, and Region 9 which is north suburban Lake and McHenry counties.
To move from Tier 2 to Tier 1, a region must meet the following criteria:
- Test positivity rate below 8% for three consecutive days (7-day average) AND
- =20% available staffed ICU hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 7-day rolling average; AND
- No sustained increase in COVID patients in hospital (7-day average over 7 of 10 days)
Here's a look at the guidelines for Tier 1:
Bars and restaurants
- Indoor service limited to lesser of 25% or 25 persons per room
- No tables exceeding 4 people indoors
- Suspend indoor service if not serving food
- Outdoor, delivery and takeout service continues under updated hours
Cultural institutions
- Open under Phase 4 rules
Gaming and casinos
- Open under Phase 4 rules from Illinois Gaming Board
Hotels
- Open under Phase 4 rules
Household gatherings
- Allowed with public health guidelines
Indoor fitness classes
- Open under Phase 4 rules
Meetings, events and gatherings (excluding inperson school or sports)
- Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25% overall capacity indoors and outdoors
Offices
- Open under Phase 4 rules
Organized group recreational activities (fitness centers, sports, etc.)
- Recreation, fitness centers and outdoor activities follow Phase 4 guidance
- Sports follow measures in the All Sport Guidelines
On Saturday, IDPH said Chicago and suburban Cook County met the metrics to move into Tier 1 mitigations which allowed for indoor dining to return.
State health officials announced Friday that Region 4 met the metrics to move into Tier 2 mitigations, effective Friday. That means all 11 of the state's regions are now out of Tier 3 mitigations, the most stringest layer of restrictions.
