Illinois public health officials reported 4,669 new and probable cases of the coronavirus and 98 deaths Monday, the lowest total of new cases since late October.
As of Sunday night, 4,460 people who’ve tested positive for the virus are in hospitals around the state. Of that number, 981 COVID-positive patients were in intensive care units and 546 were on ventilators.
Statewide, 779 of the state’s 3,286 intensive care beds are available, according to state data. The state has 4,146 ventilators available out of 5,691.
On Oct. 27, the state logged 4,000 new cases in a day, which was the last time the state saw a new case count in that range.
A surge of new cases in November put the state in its deadliest stretch of the pandemic. Illinois logged 315,311 new cases last month and 2,528 deaths.
Sunday was the first time in almost two weeks the state did not record a three-digit daily death toll.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, has previously cautioned restless residents who may want to spend the holidays with family to forego those plans and celebrate virtually to avoid potentially spreading the virus.
“If we’ve made it this far in the pandemic with the finish line starting to come into sight, you deserve for you and your family and your friends to make it all the way to the other side,” Ezike said. “Let’s give the gift of health this holiday season. We’ve come too far to give it up now.”
For those still intent on seeing family in person against experts’ pleas, Ezike advised keeping gatherings as small as possible, as short as possible — and outdoors, if feasible. Indoor gatherings should have increased ventilation, she said. She also has previously urged that masks stay on.
