Illinois’ average statewide COVID-19 testing positivity rate fell to its lowest point in three weeks Friday as public health officials reported 3,369 new cases of the disease.
They were diagnosed among 104,795 tests, sending the positivity rate down to 3.6% and continuing an 11-day streak without any increases in that key metric, which indicates how rapidly the virus is spreading.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported a third straight night of decreasing COVID-19 hospitalizations, easing concerns — for now — that a third statewide spike in infections that started last month could spiral further out of control. Hospitals across the state were treating 2,112 COVID-19 patients Thursday night.
Chicago’s regional positivity rate is down to 5.1% compared to 5.7% a week ago, while the city’s daily rate has fallen by 15%.
“Case rates are still higher than we’d like them to be,” Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Thursday. “But continued progress in the right direction is what is going to let us move toward reopening … and I’m feeling optimistic.”
New COVID-19 cases by day
Graphic by Jesse Howe and Caroline Hurley | Sun-Times
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
But the virus also killed 22 more Illinois residents, including two Cook County residents in their 40s. The state’s COVID-19 death toll stands at 21,777 among more than 1.3 million residents who have tested positive over the past year.
Almost three times as many residents are now fully immunized, though. With the latest 136,525 vaccine doses that went into Illinois arms Thursday, almost 3.7 million residents are considered fully vaccinated — about 29% of the population.
Illinois is averaging almost 119,000 inoculations per day. All residents 16 and older are eligible for shots at providers statewide.
With supply finally catching up to demand in Chicago, city-run vaccination sites are now accepting limited numbers of walk-in appointments.
For help finding an appointment in Chicago, visit zocdoc.com or call (312) 746-4835. To find providers elsewhere, visit coronavirus.illinois.gov or call (833) 621-1284.
Thousands of appointments are also available throughout the week at a federally run site in Gary, Indiana.
