Illinois COVID Update: IL reports 3,660 new coronavirus cases, 83 deaths; some testing sites close due to cold
Chicago COVID-19 testing sites close during cold weather
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois health officials reported 3,660 new COVID-19 cases and 83 deaths Friday.
The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 1,141,219, with a total of 19,526 deaths, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 105,085 specimens for a total of 16,464,740.
RELATED: Illinois COVID vaccine map shows how many residents vaccinated by county
As of Thursday night, 2,318 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 491 patients were in the ICU and 254 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from Jan. 29-Feb. 4 is 4.3%.
RELATED: Illinois coronavirus testing: Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Illinois, Chicago area
A total of 1,635,925 doses of vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago, with an additional 496,100 doses allocated to federal government partners for long-term care facilities, bringing the total number delivered in Illinois to 2,132,025.
IDPH reports that a total of 1,231,418 vaccine doses have been administered, including 188,351 at long-term facilities. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered is 49,082.
On Thursday, the state set a one-day vaccination record, with a total of 74,965 doses administered.
The IDPH says that vaccine distribution numbers are reported in real-time and vaccine administration numbers lag by as much as 72 hours.
Coronavirus testing sites in Chicago will be closed for "inclement weather," starting Friday.
City-operated testing sites will remain closed from Friday until Wednesday, according to a notification from the city.
Thursday's storm will be followed by a deep freeze that'll stretch into next week. Temperatures may not rise above the single digits, and wind chills may reach minus 30 degrees in what city officials called an "arctic blast."
Anyone who needs testing in the next few days should contact their healthcare provider.
"Honestly, form a safety perspective we don't want the staff and the volunteers potentially being exposed," said Dr. Allison Arwady, CDPH. "And there are walk-up availabilities at the site. We don't want people walking up."
Frigid conditions also prompted The Loretto Hospital on the West Side to move its walk-up testing indoors.
"We're actually converting our ground floor physical therapy room, which is pretty big and very spacious, into a COVID testing area," said Afya Khan, infection control practitioner at The Loretto Hospital.
The city's vaccination sites, which operate indoors, will remain open, as will the mass vaccination site at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake. Officials there said the need to rotate staff frequently out of the cold could cause delays.
Northwestern University Professor Hani Mahmassani, an expert in transportation and logistics, said vaccination clinics are likely to see some no-shows.
"There will be issues in staffing," she explained, "and also no-shows in terms of the patients. And in some cases, you do not want patients to come out in this weather, especially for some older folks who are the current group being vaccinated."
WATCH: More than 500 National Guard members helping vaccinate people
The commander of the Illinois National Guard said more than 500 National Guard members are part of the mission to vaccinate people in the state, and that number is expected to grow in the coming weeks.
Major General Richard Neely called it a unique position, but one the Guard is ready to handle.
"We're using our military skillsets to support the community, and so we'll continue to bring in Guard capability to surge in early," Major General Neely said.
Major General Neely said once commercial companies and other state contracts can catch up, then they'll take over vaccinations.
Find out how many people may get a COVID-19 vaccine before you
Illinois adds 80 new COVID-19 vaccine sites
Illinois officials announced 80 new COVID-19 vaccination sites have been added in the state, bringing the total to 390.
The new locations include 78 new Walgreens locations, brining the total number of Walgreens sites to 170, as well as two Illinois National Guard supported locations in Cook and St. Clair counties.
Illinois has partnered with Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, Kroger, Mariano's and Walgreens for vaccinations:
-Hy-Vee - 16 locations
-Jewel-Osco - 92 locations
- Kroger - 17 locations
-Mariano's - 6 locations
-Walgreens - 170 locations
There are also 12 state supported COVID-19 vaccination locations.
-Arlington Heights Health Center - 3250 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights
-Belle-Clair Fairgrounds - 200 S. Belt E #2650, Belleville
- Blue Island Health Center - 12757 S. Western Ave., Blue Island
-Cottage Grover Health Center - 1645 Cottage Grove Ave., Ford Heights
-East Side Health District Mobile team - various locations in East St. Louis
-Morton East Adolescent Health Center - 2423 S. Austin Blvd., Cicero
-North Riverside Health Center - 1800 S. Harlem Ave., North Riverside
-Provident Hospital - 500 E. 51st St., Chicago
-Robbins Health Center - 13450 S. Kedzie Ave., Robbins
-John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital - 1969 Ogden Ave., Chicago
-Tinley Park Convention Center - 18451 Convention Center Dr., Tinley Park
-Triton College - 2000 5th Ave., River Grove, T Building on the East Campus
The deaths reported Friday include:
- Adams County: 1 male 70s
- Coles County: 1 male 50s
- Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 8 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 3 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 7 males 80s, 4 females 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- Effingham County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Fayette County: 1 male 60s
- Grundy County: 1 male 70s
- Jasper County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Kane County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 50s, 2 females 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Kankakee County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
- Kendall County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
- Lake County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s
- Lawrence County: 1 male 60s
- Lee County: 1 female 90s
- Livingston County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Macon County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
- Marshall County: 1 female 80s
- McHenry County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- McLean County: 1 female 60s
- Montgomery County: 1 male 80s
- Pike County: 1 male 80s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 2 males 90s
- Sangamon County: 1 male 80s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Vermilion County: 1 male 40s
- Will County: 1 male 60s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 90s
Sun-Times Media contributed to this report.
