Illinois COVID Update: IL reports 5,644 cases, 30 deaths

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Booster shots encouraged as Chicago COVID cases rise
With COVID cases on the rise in Chicago as we head towards the holidays, health experts say everyone who is eligible should get their booster shots.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials reported 5,644 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 30 related deaths Thursday.



There have been 1,758,146 total COVID cases, including 26,190 deaths in the state since the pandemic began.



The seven-day statewide test positivity rate from Nov. 11-Nov. 17 is 3.6%.



RELATED: Chicago children under 12 begin getting COVID-19 vaccines



Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported testing 181,622 new specimens for a total of 37,719,347 since the pandemic began.



As of Wednesday night, 1,669 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 329 patients were in the ICU and 160 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.



SEE ALSO: Chicago couple, unvaccinated and together for years, die from COVID weeks before wedding



A total of 16,621,901 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Thursday, and 57.38% of the state's population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 61,695.



Chicago travel update: Arkansas added back to list; advisory stands at 38 states, 1 territory



As of Tuesday, Loyola Medicine is now offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11 at multiple clinic sites, including mobile vaccine clinics. Online scheduling is available at loyolamedicine.org/vaccines.



The video in the player above is from a previous report.



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