Today’s Illinois COVID Update: IL reports 676 cases and 8 deaths

Chicago (WLS)-Illinois public health officials reported 676 new confirmed possible cases of COVID-19 and eight associated deaths on Friday.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, there have been a total of 1,399,946 COVID cases, including 23,357 deaths in the state.

Chicago’s COVID Vaccine Map shows the number of residents vaccinated by zip code

The state-wide preliminary test positive rate for the 7 days from July 9th to 15th is 2.3%.

Within the last 24 hours, the institute reports that it has tested 33,502 samples, for a total of 26,292,979 samples since the pandemic began.

As of Thursday night, 476 patients in Illinois were reported hospitalized with COVID-19. Of these, 94 patients were in the ICU and 28 COVID-19 patients were on mechanical ventilation.

Arkansas, Missouri has added to Chicago’s Travel Recommendations as cases of COVID-19 increase.

As of Thursday, a total of 12,917,362 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. The 7-day moving average of the daily vaccine is 21,607. 21,607 vaccines were given in Illinois on Thursday.

13 IL counties for COVID “warning levels”

According to authorities, the rising indicators across the state are driven primarily by worsening state conditions.

Thirteen counties, primarily in western and southern Illinois, are currently at COVID “warning levels.” This means that the people who live there are facing increased risk.

All of these counties have low immunization rates, with less than 30% of the population fully vaccinated in two of them.

On Friday, a CDC director said people who didn’t take shots were spurring the increase we’re seeing nationwide.

Concerns over the proliferation of delta variants have forced Cook County to make several changes, including changes in vaccination strategies.

See: Cook officials provide up-to-date information on COVID delta variants

Cook County plans to close the remaining three mass vaccination sites next week as demand drops to a few cases a day.

The transition of Cook County’s vaccine strategy to hyperlocals will focus specifically on the southern suburbs, where vaccination rates are lowest throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.

The more contagious delta mutants caused higher rates and hospitalizations throughout the state. Cook County officials say one of the biggest obstacles to vaccination of more people is false rumors circulating on social media.

To vaccinate more people, Toni Preckwinkle, chairman of the Cook County Commission, said he was strongly considering requiring all Cook County health care workers to be vaccinated.

DuPage County has been red-flagged by IDPH for increased hospitalizations due to COVID-19

DuPage County is currently receiving fire alerts as hospitalization rates continue to rise in the area.

The rate has risen for seven of the last ten days, triggering state warnings, officials said.

“If we don’t protect ourselves properly, the virus will always win,” said Karen Ayala, executive director of the DuPage County Health Department.

Simply put, Ayala said it meant getting vaccinated.

Despite being the state of Illinois with the highest immunization rates, COVID is sickening more people.

Currently, more than 99% of COVID deaths and hospitalizations occur in unvaccinated populations, so a red flag was given as an early warning sign, officials said.

The Illinois COVID Vaccine Map shows the number of inhabitants vaccinated by the county

“We go to the other side of this pandemic and don’t want to go back,” Ayala said.

This means trying to vaccinate more than 100,000 eligible DuPage County residents.

Like Cook County, DuPage County will soon close its almost empty mass vaccination site.

Starting Saturday, they will shift more resources to localized options. For example, a van where you can meet people where you live or work.

“We need to make it more convenient and more accessible,” Ayala said.

Related: Wheaton parents require schools to require face masks, regardless of CDC guidelines

Ayala suspects that the rapid spread of the Delta subspecies and the unmasked, unvaccinated people may be partly due to the recent surge.

Still, downtown Wheaton has different views on what to do.

“I don’t believe in vaccination, I don’t believe it. Rather, I want to follow the trend and take the opportunity to do what I believe,” said Pamela Cardelli, who lives in Naperville.

“I’m sorry for those who haven’t decided to get vaccinated because they’re at risk,” said Bob Gross, who lives in Aurora.