Illinois COVID-19 Update: IL reports 6,762 cases, 135 coronavirus deaths; Pritzker says state leading US in vaccine doses given
Pritzker says stat appears to be headed in the right direction
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials reported 6,762 COVID-19 cases and 135 related deaths Wednesday.
The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 918,070, with a total of 15,547 deaths.
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As of Tuesday night Illinois and Chicago more than any other state 100,991 vaccines as of last night, more than any other in the nation, Governor JB Pritzker said.
On Wednesday, state officials once again urged people to celebrate only with those in their immediate household, although there seemed to be an acceptance that many of those warnings will likely go unheeded.
"I know some of you won't or cant. And for those of you I ask you think of additional safety measures that you can take as you travel, as you gather, that can make the visits somewhat safer," Dr. Ngozi Ezike said.
The half-hearted call for prudence came as Governor JB Pritzker released the latest vaccination figures during a virtual briefing before the holidays.
"Illinois, including the City of Chicago, has, as of last night, administered 100,991 vaccine doses to date. That's more than any other state in the nation so far," Pritzker announced.
The vaccination figures were coupled with an update on the receipt and distribution of the vaccine so far.
This week's allocations from the federal government for the entire state included approximately 76,000 doses of Pfizer, and 222,000 doses of the newly approved Moderna vaccine.
The Moderna vaccine has a longer shelf life, and has a less stringent cold storage requirements which has made it far easier to transport.
"The vaccine team in Illinois sprinted past them all in week one, " Governor Pritzker said.
Moderna vaccines arriving in Chicago area
"With this week's Moderna shipments, vaccine will have officially reached all 102 counties in Illinois," Pritzker said.
Even as there is light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, the governor announced help for low-income parents enrolled in the state's childcare assistance program Wednesday.
The state promised to cover all eligible days for December, January and February, while also making it easier for providers to have their costs re-imbursed, during what has been a challenging year for the entire childcare industry
Pritzker said the state does appear to be headed in the right direction, although he made it clear, indoor dining at bars and restaurants will not happen until he can be sure there is no post-Christmas and New Year's Eve surge.
Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 82,328 specimens. In total there have been 12,688,071specimens tested since the start of the pandemic in Illinois.
The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from Dec. 16-22 is 9.0%.
The test positivity rate is a metric the state began providing in late October. It is calculated by using the total number of positive tests over the total number of tests. This is the metric being used to by state health officials to make decisions about mitigations.
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As of Tuesday night, 4,593 people in Illinois were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 953 patients were in the ICU with COVID-19 and 536 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Cardinal Cupich gets vaccine
Cardinal Blase Cupich and several pastors from the Chicago area received the COVID-19 vaccine at St. Anthony's Hospital Wednesday.
"We're here today to be supportive of the effort of St. Anthony's Hospital building confidence in this vaccine," Cardinal Cupich said. "We wanted to make sure that people are encouraged to become vaccinated and also to have confidence in it and to realize that being vaccinated as the Holy Father has told us is an opportunity for us to be supportive of the common good."
This latest campaign to encourage vaccination comes as Chicago prepares to expand its distribution efforts.
Dr. Allison Arwady said as the city receives shipments of the Moderna vaccine, the focus will be on getting doses to long term care facilities and beginning vaccination for outpatient providers like doctors offices and COVID-19 testing sites.
Arwady says the city will begin utilizing its first mass vaccination sites next week as well.
The deaths reported Wednesday include:
- Alexander County: 1 female 60s
- Brown County: 1 male 70s
- Carroll County: 1 male 60s
- Champaign County: 1 male 20s, 1 male 80s
- Clark County: 1 female 90s
- Cook County: 1 female 40s, 2 males 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 10 males 60s, 5 females 70s, 8 males 70s, 8 females 80s, 6 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 3 males 90s, 1 female over 100
- DeKalb County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 female over 100
- Ford County: 1 male 70s
- Franklin County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
- Hardin County: 1 female 80s
- Henry County: 1 female 80s
- Jackson County: 1 female 90s
- Jefferson County: 1 female 90s
- Johnson County: 1 female 80s
- Kane County: 1 female 70s, 2 males 80s
- Knox County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Lake County: 1 female 90s
- LaSalle County: 1 male 50s
- Macon County: 2 females 90s
- Macoupin County: 1 female 60s
- Madison County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
- Marion County: 1 male 80s
- Marshall County: 1 male 70s
- Mason County: 1 male 80s
- Massac County: 1 female 60s
- McHenry County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- McLean County: 1 male 90s
- Morgan County: 1 female 70s
- Peoria County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- Pike County: 1 female 70s
- Rock Island County: 1 female 80s, 2 females 90s
- Sangamon County: 2 females 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Stephenson County: 1 female 90s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Vermilion County: 1 male 60s
- Wabash County: 1 female 90s
- Warren County: 1 female 80s
- Washington County: 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s
- Will County: 2 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
- Williamson County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Woodford County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s
