Illinois COVID Update: IL reports 2,682 cases, 8 deaths

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois Department of Public Health officials reported 2,682 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and eight related deaths Tuesday.

There have been 1,427,901 total COVID cases, including 23,458 deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

Illinois COVID vaccine map shows how many residents vaccinated by county

The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from July 26-Aug 2 is at 5%.

Transmission continues to increase across the state, with Will County now listed as having high transmission and Kankakee County moving up to substantial transmission.

Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported testing 44,565 specimens for a total of 27,005,486 since the pandemic began.

As of Monday night, 1,107 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 243 patients were in the ICU and 103 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

Some Chicago restaurants requiring masks, COVID vaccinations as cases increase

A total of 13,310,174 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of Monday. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 28,250. On Monday, 19,830 vaccines were administered.

Vaccination has risen across the state as cases began surging, almost entirely among the unvaccinated and prevalently the more contagious delta variant, but Chicago still lags behind.

In Auburn Gresham, Pastor Gregory Allen recruits people who walk past his New Faith Apostolic Church to get the vaccine. For the past few weeks he's opened the doors for three days a week to host a four-hour pop-up vaccination site.

"We are probably getting two to three people a date out of those four hours," he said.

While some Chicagoans remain hesitant, Allen said he's noticed most people he asks outside his church say they're vaccinated, and many tell him they received the shot recently.

In Illinois, vaccination rates are up 59% compared to one week ago. In Chicago, the rate has gone up slightly.

"They've just ticked up a very little bit," said CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady. "Anecdotally, we have heard some people say I think it's time because of the delta variant."

The variant has also impacted testing rates. Chicago's administered 15% more tests than they did last week.

The COVID testing site next to Pastor Allen's church is getting more traffic than his vaccination clinic.

"I am getting my daughter tested today, she was exposed to the coronavirus from a friend," said Nicole battle. "She is vaccinated, so I am praying she is safe."

The test came back negative; Battle credited the vaccine. Meanwhile, Allen will keep pushing it. As a recently-retired chaplain for Christ Hospital, he uses his personal experience with dying COVID patients.

"The repertory conditions the struggling for air which is almost like a dry drowning is how I like to think of it," he said.