Illinois COVID-19: IL reports 1,362 new coronavirus cases, 23 deaths; Region 1 mitigation restrictions will start Saturday

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials announced 1,362 new cases of COVID-19 and 23 additional deaths Tuesday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois now stands at 291,001 with 8,637 deaths, the IDPH reported.

As of Monday night, 1,535 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, with 363 patients in the ICU and 151 on ventilators.

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Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 45,624 specimens for a total of 5,566,276. The seven-day positivity rate from September 22 - September 28 is 3.6%.

Health officials announced Region 1, which includes Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Davies, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties will be placed under mitigation restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 beginning Saturday, Oct. 3.

IDPH officials said the positivity rate in Region 1 has hovered above 8% for three consecutive days, and jumped 2% in just two weeks, even as the rest of the state continues to see downward trends.

As a result, bars cannot have indoor service or anyone seated or ordering at the bar, all bars must close at 11 p.m., all service must be outdoors, reservations are required for each party, and multiple parties cannot be sat at the same time.

Restaurants will also not be allowed to have indoor service or bar service, all outdoor dining must end at 11 p.m., reservations are required, multiple parties cannot be seated at the same time, and no standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or leaving is allowed.

All events are limited to 25% capacity with a maximum of 25 people. Party buses are not allowed, and casinos and other forms of gaming are limited to 25% capacity, must follow the same mitigations as bars and restaurants as applicable, and must close at 11 p.m.

Seventeen Illinois counties are considered to be at warning level for COVID-19, including Bond, Boone, Cass, Christian, Clinton, Crawford, DeWitt, Fayette, Grundy, Hamilton, Macon, Menard, Peoria, Putnam, Washington, Wayne and Winnebago.

Although the reasons for counties reaching a warning level varies, some of the common factors for an increase in cases and outbreaks are associated with university and college parties as well as college sports teams, large gatherings and events, bars and clubs, weddings and funerals, long-term care facilities, correctional centers, schools and cases among the community at large, the state said.

Public health officials are reportedly observing people not social distancing, gathering in large groups and not using face coverings. Some communities lack access to convenient testing before people become symptomatic. In some counties, local law enforcement and states' attorneys are not enforcing important mitigation measures like social distancing and the wearing of face coverings. Additionally, some people refuse to participate in contact tracing and are not providing information on close contacts or answering the phone, the state said.

The reported deaths include:

-Bond County: 1 male 70s

-Clark County: 1 female 90s

-Clinton County: 1 male 80s

-Cook County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s

-DuPage County: 1 female 90s

-Jasper County: 1 male 70s

-Madison County: 4 females 90s

-Marion County: 1 male 80s

-Moultrie County: 1 male 70s

-Peoria County: 1 female 80s

-Rock Island County: 1 female 70s

-Whiteside County; 1 male 70s

-Will County: 1 male 100+

-Williamson County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s

-Winnebago County: 2 males 70s