Illinois COVID-19: IL reports 1,402 new coronavirus cases, 14 deaths

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials announced 1,402 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday along with 14 additional deaths.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois now stands at 274,258 with 8,450 deaths, the IDPH reported.

The preliminary seven-day positivity rate from September 13 - September 19 is 3.5%.

Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 48,011 specimens for a total of 5,105,153.

As of Saturday night, 1,417 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, with 357 patients in the ICU and 151 patients on ventilators.

The deaths reported Sunday include:

- Cook County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s

- Douglas County: 1 female 70s

- Greene County: 1 male 60s

- Lake County: 1 male 70s

- Macon County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s

- Perry County: 1 female 70s

- Whiteside County: 1 male 60s

- Woodford County: 1 male 50s

Student-athletes rallied outside the Thompson Center in Chicago's Loop Saturday, as well as in the state capital of Springfield, asking Gov. JB Pritzker to work with the Illinois High School Association to bring back fall sports.

Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art is among 12 museums nationwide to receive money through an emergency grant program to help art museums struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. The New York-based Andrew W. Mellon Foundation says the program will have nearly $24 million to be distributed to mid-sized art museums. Museums have been hit hard during the pandemic with closures to comply with social distancing measures. The American Alliance of Museums estimates U.S. museums are collectively losing at least $33 million each day and nearly one-third won't reopen with help.

IDPH Friday reported 24 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for COVID-19.

A county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that measure the amount of COVID-19 increase, according to IDPH.

Those counties include Bond, Bureau, Cass, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Edwards, Effingham, Greene, Jasper, Jo Daviess, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Rock Island, St. Clair, Shelby, Washington, Wayne, Williamson, Wabash and Union.

Will and Kankakee counties are allowed to relax COVID-19 restrictions in bars and restaurants starting Friday.

Region 7, which includes the greater Will and Kankakee county areas, will return to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan at 5 p.m. Friday.

The region moved to stricter mitigations after three consecutive days of a rolling positivity rate above 8%. As of Friday, Region 7 has reached the threshold to lift mitigations of three consecutive days of a rolling positivity rate below 6.5%, with a rate at 5.6%.

Indoor dining and bar service can resume along with larger gathering sizes in the area.

"Residents chose to be all in for each other, for their small businesses, for their bars and restaurants, for their kids, for their neighbors," Gov. JB Pritzker said. "Let that be a testament to the power of a community that embraces doctor-recommended mitigations proven to reduce risk and slow the spread. We can't outrun this virus, but with the tools we know to work - masks, distancing, handwashing, and respect for public health and each other - we can beat it back enough to keep our businesses open and our neighborhoods safer all at once."

Region 4, the Metro East region, which is currently operating under additional mitigations, continues to report a seven-day rolling positivity rate above 8%.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.