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CDC rates 31 Illinois counties at medium COVID-19 levels. What to know about spread

Belleville News-Democrat - 11/6/2022

Nov. 6—While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rated 31 Illinois counties at elevated COVID-19 community levels in its Thursday update, zero were at high levels.

The 31 medium level counties include Pike, Ogle, Cass, Union, Johnson, Pope, Ford and others. Pike, Ogle, Stephenson and Ford were at a high level last week. Vermilion County was at a high community level last week, but dropped to a low level this Thursday.

St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Washington and Clinton counties are all at low COVID-19 community levels.

The CDC's COVID-19 community levels are updated Thursdays and based on metrics from the past seven days, including new hospital admissions per 100,000 people, average percent of staffed, inpatient beds occupied by COVID patients and new cases per 100,000 people.

The federal agency advises people in high community level areas to wear a mask indoors and on public transportation, and people at a higher risk of severe illness should consider precautions in medium level areas.

Illinois to ship free COVID-19 tests to certain households

Illinois Department of Public Health officials announced in a Nov. 4 statement the department would distribute 1 million free, rapid COVID-19 tests to economically disadvantaged households outside the city of Chicago.

To find out whether the free tests are available in your area, you can enter your zip code in an online database. Free COVID-19 testing sites are also available to the public at sites across the state, including in Chicago.

"COVID-19 tests remain a critical tool that can help limit the spread of the virus," IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in the statement. "A positive test early in the course of your illness allows you to protect yourself by providing an opportunity to seek treatment earlier, likely reducing severe disease. A positive test also allows you to protect your loved ones and community by knowing when to stay home and not spread the disease to others."

COVID-19 cases in St. Clair County and statewide

IDPH has reported 14,225 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 54 deaths statewide since Oct. 28.

The statewide daily case rate is 15.9 per 100,000 individuals, up slightly from 15.3 last week, IDPH reports, and 17% of Illinois' intensive care unit beds are available. The seven-day rolling number of hospital admissions is 102 as of Nov. 4, compared to 101 last week.

St. Clair County's daily case rate is 14.2 per 100,000 people, according to IDPH, and 18% of the county's ICU beds are available. The seven-day rolling number of hospital admissions is two, up from one last week.

IDPH reported zero COVID-19 deaths in St. Clair County over the week.

The CDC reports St. Clair County's weekly case rate is 92.8, down from 101.66 last week. There were 5.2 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 individuals, and 2.7% of the county's staffed inpatient beds are in use by patients with confirmed COVID-19.

Test positivity is at 4.7% in St. Clair County, compared to 4.46% last week. The rate of tests performed has jumped by 24.13% in the county.

As of Thursday night, IDPH reported 1,081 people were in the hospital with COVID-19, including 136 patients in ICUs and 48 people on ventilators.

IDPH's director is "strongly recommending that all Illinoisans protect themselves by getting fully up-to-date with a COVID-19 bivalent booster shot and a flu shot ahead of the winter respiratory virus season and the holidays," the department's statement said.

You can find COVID-19 testing and vaccination information online in St. Clair County.

Note: Some CDC data, such as test positivity rates, the number of tests performed and total case rate, update on different days. IDPH data and CDC data may not update at the same time, so metrics may vary across agencies.

This story was originally published November 6, 20226:00 AM.

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