COVID-19 cases Illinois: IL reports 4,939 new coronavirus cases, 15 new deaths

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois reported 4,939 new COVID cases and 15 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."

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COVID-19 transmission has been raised to a "medium" risk level in Cook County as well as its surrounding counties, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been at least 3,927,562 total COVID cases in the state since the start of the pandemic and at least 35,611 related deaths.

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As of Wednesday night, 1,704 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 223 patients were in the ICU, and 60 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

The daily case rate per 100,000 population is at 27.2.

COVID cases on the rise in Chicago, data shows

Two years ago today, we saw the first COVID-19 vaccinations in Chicago. Since then, millions of people have gotten their shots and the virus is no longer the threat it used to be.

But it remains a cause for concern. Health officials on Thursday reported 951 new confirmed and probable cases in Chicago. That's up by more than 300 cases from Wednesday.

Chicago Public Schools is reporting twice as many cases among students and more than three times as many adult cases compared with this time last school year.

Warnings from local health officials come as the holidays approach and concerns grow about the possibility of the triple threat of COVID-19, RSV, and the flu. The message is, if you haven't already, get vaccinated and boosted now.

"Unvaccinated Chicagoans are twice as likely to get COVID-19 than those who are up to date," said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Dept. of Public Health.

The Chicago Department of Public Health marked the two-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccines being administered in the city by sharing a renewed push to convince people to protect themselves and others against respiratory viruses.

According to data from the Chicago Public Schools, there have been 5,003 adult cases and 8,539 student cases so far this school year, from August 21 to December 14.

In 2021, with a shorter school year, there were still 1,335 adult cases and 4,182 student cases reported by CPS. That's more than three times as many adult cases and a little more than two times as many student cases at the same point in the school year this year.

Another concern is the number of available beds at area hospitals.

"What we are seeing right now is quite a bit of influenza," said Dr. Larry Kociolek, medical director of infection at Lurie Children's Hospital. "We're seeing more influenza right now than we did at any point of COVID-19."

There is no vaccine for RSV, but one is in the works while the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot is now available to anyone 6 months or older.

Local health officials say if Chicago hits a high COVID level, they will issue a formal advisory for Chicagoans to wear their masks indoors.