Public Health Officials Announce 27,112 New Cases of Coronavirus Disease Over the Past Week

CDC Reports 25 Illinois Counties at High Community Level; Public Health Officials Urge Caution Ahead of Family Gatherings for Father’s Day and Juneteenth & Importance of Avoiding Contact with Vulnerable People if you Have Symptoms

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 27,112 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 68 deaths since June 10, 2022.

According to the CDC, 25 Illinois counties are now rated at High Community Level for COVID-19, an area that includes counties around Rockford in northern Illinois as well as counties around Bloomington, Peoria and Springfield in central Illinois. An additional 39 counties in Illinois are now rated at Medium Community Level.

The latest data from the CDC shows that several counties were downgraded from High Community Level to Medium, including Cook, DuPage, Kane and Lake counties in northeast Illinois.

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,380,095 cases, including 33,994 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.

As of last night, 1,162 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19.  Of those, 131 patients were in the ICU and 33 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.  The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 213 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.

Following a ten percent uptick in cases after the Memorial Day Weekend, IDPH is urging Illinoisans to exercise caution and common sense when it comes to attending family gatherings over the coming Father’s Day and Juneteenth weekend.

“With 64 counties at the Medium or High Community Level across Illinois in the wake of Memorial Day, this should serve as a warning to all of us as we are making plans to celebrate Father’s Day and Juneteenth this coming weekend,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars. “We urge everyone to keep the safety of their loved ones in mind, especially older family members and those who are vulnerable to severe outcomes. If you are attending a family gathering, you should be up-to-date and boosted on your vaccinations. If you are feeling any symptoms, you should take a COVID-19 test or stay home. In areas with elevated community levels, you should wear your mask in indoor public places and avoid indoor crowded spaces. If needed, contact a healthcare provider promptly to discuss what treatment is right for you.”

The counties listed at High Community Level are Boone, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Kankakee, Kendall, Lee, Ogle, Will and Winnebago in northern Illinois; Brown, Cass, Christian, Fulton, Logan, Marshall, McLean, Menard, Morgan, Peoria, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Tazewell and Woodford in central Illinois; and Massac in Southern Illinois.

The CDC recommends the following measures for people in areas that are rated at High Community Level for COVID-19 transmission:

• Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor community settings)
• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
  
  • Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection
    
  • Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed
    
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take other precautions
    
  • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
    
  • IF YOU TEST POSITIVE: Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies
    
• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease
  
  • consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
    
  • consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
    
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
  
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
  
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19
  

At the Medium Community Level, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places. In addition, they should make sure to get up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines or get their 2nd booster, if eligible.

IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare providers in efforts to increase their inventories of the various FDA-authorized treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations in Illinois - including all the major retail pharmacies. More than 96.7% of the state’s population is within a 10-mile radius of one of these locations.

A total of 22,543,715 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 9,891 doses.  Since June 10, 69,235 doses were reported administered in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 76% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 69% of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated, and more than 53% of the vaccinated population has an initial booster according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data indicates that the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes from COVID-19 is much higher for unvaccinated people than for those who are up to date on their vaccinations.

All data are provisional and are subject to change.  Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.  

Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic.  To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.

The federal government has established a new website that provides an all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks, treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the country at: https://www.covid.gov/.