Illinois COVID-19 Update: IL reports 11,378 new coronavirus cases, 155 deaths
Illinois ties record for most COVID-19 deaths in a week set in mid-May
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials reported 11,378 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 along with 155 deaths Wednesday.
The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 685,467, with a total of 11,832 deaths.
Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 114,233 specimens. In total there have been 10,104,537 tests specimens tested since the start of the pandemic in Illinois.
WATCH: Officials urge virtual Thanksgiving celebrations to prevent virus spread
The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from Nov. 18 - Nov. 24 is 12.2%.
As of Tuesday night, 6,133 people in Illinois were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 1,208 patients were in the ICU with COVID-19 and 679 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Officials once again implored people to stay home this Thanksgiving and keep celebrations to within your household, saying the future course of the pandemic could depend on what we all do this week.
"This crisis may come to an end in just a few months," Gov. JB Pritzker said. "Every day that we take action to stop the spread gets us one day closer to widespread distribution of the vaccines with fewer lives lost along the way."
WATCH: Illinois positivity rate decline could be sign mitigations are working, Pritzker says
On the eve of Thanksgiving, more than 6,100 people are in Illinois hospitals fighting COVID-19 - that number has remained essentially flat the past few days.
In the past seven days, 818 people in Illinois have lost their lives. That ties a week in mid-May for the deadliest seven-day stretch during the pandemic.
Illinois also reached an important milestone Wednesday, crossing 10 million total tests, with more than a million in just the past 10 days. A lot of people are getting tested ahead of the holiday and demand is expected to be very high after this weekend.
Officials say if you go against the guidance and decide to travel for Thanksgiving and mix households, it's a good idea to get tested.
WATCH: Infectious disease doctor busts COVID-19 myths
"Most people will show a positive test, if they're going to, at day seven. So we would like people to wait at least a week. Obviously if you develop symptoms before then, please test immediately," said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois Dept. of Public Health.
Hospitalizations are still at a concerning level with multiple counties in our area below the 20% warning threshold for hospital bed availability.
Officials said they'll be keeping a close eye on the numbers after the holiday. A rise in cases about two weeks from now would be an indication of significant spread during Thanksgiving.
State-run testing facilities will be closed on Thanksgiving. The DuPage County Health Department testing sites will also be closed on Thanksgiving and the day after.
WATCH: Bars empty on 'Black Wednesday' amid pandemic
For bars, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend typically would translate into big bucks.
"The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest day of the year," said Mark Kwiatkowski, the owner of Replay.
"People talk about the shopping on Black Friday," said Sam Sanchez, owner of Moe's Cantina & Old Crow Smokehouse. "We call it Black Wednesday."
Sam Sanchez spoke to us from his empty River North bar, now a temporary COVID testing site to help pay the bills as he and others wait for federal and local relief.
"We're pleading to the governor, if there's grants available, we don't want the money to run out," Sanchez said.
Sanchez, also a Vice Chair for the Illinois Restaurant Association, said if the state won't let them open the doors, it should help them pay the bills.
"We need it for every restaurant owner that's not allowed to operate in the state of Illinois," Sanchez said.
Meanwhile, Kwiatkowski pivoted to hosting festive drive-in movies while his bars sit closed as part of the states indoor dining ban.
"We have no choice. You can't not be responsible," Kwiatkowski said. "For the community and for our staff and for myself, selfishly, I don't want to obviously bring that home to my family."
But the McHenry County State's Attorney said Wednesday that his office "in good conscience" will not enforce the Governor's ban without "definitive validation" if it means keeping owners in business.
"Surprising that a state's attorney doesn't want to follow the law," Gov. JB Pritzker said in response. "If you don't do the right thing, more people are going to get sick."
The deaths reported Wednesday include:
- Adams County: 2 males 80s
- Boone County: 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s
- Bureau County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Champaign County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Clay County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s
- Clinton County: 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
- Cook County: 2 males 50s, 3 females 60s, 6 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 4 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 4 females 90s
- Crawford County: 1 female 80s
- Cumberland County: 1 male 80s
- DeKalb County: 1 female 60s
- DeWitt County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 4 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Effingham County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
- Greene County: 1 male 70s
- Grundy County: 1 male 60s
- Jackson County: 1 male 80s
- Jasper County: 1 female 90s
- Kane County: 1 female 30s, 1 male 30s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- Kankakee County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 50s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Knox County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 70s
- Lake County: 1 male 40s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 4 females 90s
- LaSalle County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Lee County: 1 female 100+
- Livingston County: 1 male 80s
- Macon County: 2 females 70s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 1 male 90s
- Madison County: 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Marion County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
- Mason County: 1 female 90s, 1 female 100+
- McHenry County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- McLean County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Ogle County: 1 female 60s, 2 males 80s
- Peoria County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- Perry County: 1 female 90s
- Pike County: 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
- Saline County: 2 males 80s
- Sangamon County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Shelby County: 1 female 90s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 90s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Vermilion County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
- Wayne County: 1 male 50s
- Whiteside County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
- Will County: 3 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 male 90s, 3 females 100+
- Williamson County: 2 males 80s
- Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 2 males 70s, 1 male 90s
