COVID Update: IL reports 5,124 new cases, 12 deaths

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Saturday, July 16, 2022
Health officials urgeCOVID  booster shots as BA.5 variant spreads
The virus has evolved into a strain that is highly transmissible BA.5, that can sidestep immunity from previous Omicron infections and vaccinations, health officials say.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois reported 5,124 new COVID cases and 12 new deaths Wednesday.

IDPH said "daily deaths reported on weekends and at the beginning of the week may be low" and "those deaths will be captured in subsequent days."

There have been at least 3,486,089 total COVID cases in the state since the start of the pandemic and, at least 34,232 related deaths.

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The Illinois Department of Health said the daily case rate per 100,000 people is at 38.5.

As of Tuesday night, 1,342 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 150 patients were in the ICU, and 42 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. Health officials say 21% of hospital beds are available.

A total of 22,773,845 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Tuesday, and 65.22% of the state's population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 10,089.

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