Illinois health officials report 6,190 new cases of COVID-19, 85 new deaths
As of Sunday night, 5,849 people were hospitalized statewide with COVID-19.
Illinois health officials on Monday reported 6,190 new and probable cases of the coronavirus and 85 new deaths, continuing a trend of lower caseloads with compared with earlier this month.
The new cases come from a batch of 66,980 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.
As of Sunday night, 5,849 people in Illinois were reported to be in hospitals with COVID-19 — of that number, 1,217 patients were in intensive care units and 715 patients who have tested positive for the virus were on ventilators.
Health officials reported 7,178 new and probable COVID-19 cases and 57 virus-related deaths Sunday, marking the third consecutive day the state recorded fewer than 8,000 new cases.
The state had averaged 11,045 new cases a day this month.
Preparing for a potential post-Thanksgiving surge, health officials said cases attributed to people who may have gathered for the holiday last week could begin appearing in the data as early as this week.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state health officials warned residents last week to avoid gathering with people outside of their immediate household to avoid catching the deadly virus.
“Thanksgiving this year needs to be different,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday. “To those who haven’t yet changed your plans, the doctors are asking all of us to skip the big group dinner this year. The vaccines that seem to be on the horizon can’t help you if you get sick now.”