COVID-19: 2,000 a day, 200,000 total
IDPH confirms 2,264 new cases, one day after topping 200,000 total; 14 counties warned
A doctor prepares to don a face mask with the Illinois state seal. The state continues to see rising cases of COVID-19. (Shutterstock)
By Ted Cox
Newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 topped 2,000 Friday, a day after the state passed the 200,000 mark in total infections in the pandemic.
The Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed 2,264 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the state total to 202,691. After new daily reported cases dropped below 1,000 for most of June, they rose in July and have been above 1,000 throughout August, topping 2,000 last Friday and Saturday.
IDPH attributed 25 new deaths to the coronavirus, to take the statewide toll to 7,721. The department did report 49,541 tests for COVID-19 Friday, pushing the state total past 3.25 million. The seven-day positivity rate remained level from a week ago at 4.1 percent.
But the number of counties issued warnings for rising rates of infection rose from 13 last week to 14 on Friday: Bureau, Cass, Clinton, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Jefferson, Kane, LaSalle, Moultrie, Perry, Union, and Will. Cass, Grundy, Perry, and Union counties repeated from last week, while Coles, Iroquois, Jackson, Monroe, Saline, St. Clair, Tazewell, Williamson, and Winnebago counties dropped off the warning list. The others were newly warned.
Even as Monroe and St. Clair dropped off the list, IDPH specifically warned Region 4 of the 11 state regions in the plan to Restore Illinois, comprising the Metro East area across the Mississippi River from St. Louis and including those two counties as well as Clinton County. The department said the region “is seeing increases in test positivity rates and could surpass the resurgence metrics in the coming days. If the region experiences three consecutive days of 8 percent test positivity, the state will implement mitigation measures,” which could include reducing indoor dining capacity and suspending indoor bar service.
On Wednesday, Gov. Pritzker and Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike renewed calls for Illinoisans to observe the three W’s — wear a mask, wash hands, watch social distancing — with Pritzker saying, “We don’t want to go back to where we’re shutting things down.”