COVID update: Illinois reports 3,111 new cases, 19 new deaths

Omicron-specific COVID vaccine booster shots are now available in Chicago

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Friday, September 16, 2022
FDA clears updated COVID booster vaccines targeting newest omicron variant strain
The hope is that the modified boosters will blunt yet another winter surge.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois reported 3.111 new COVID cases and 19 new deaths Thursday.

The Illinois Dept. of Public Health says "daily deaths reported on weekends and at the beginning of the week may be low" and "those deaths will be captured in subsequent days."

The video from the player above is from a previous report.

There have been at least 3,731,410 total COVID cases in the state since the start of the pandemic and at least 34,875 related deaths.

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As of Wednesday night, 1,190 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 135 patients were in the ICU, and 48 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

The daily case rate per 100,000 population is at 21.5.

A total of 23,449,994 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Wednesday and 65.60% of the state's population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 26,306.

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The tweaked vaccine aimed at the latest COVID variant is now available in Chicago.