Illinois health officials reported 1,631 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus on Sunday, the lowest one-day increase in that metric since early October.
This news comes as vaccination efforts continue to intensify statewide. According to the latest IDPH information, the state set a new record in most average COVID-19 vaccines over the past week, with more than 60,000 residents receiving daily doses of the vaccine.
These are the latest COVID holders across the state:
Chicago opens 4 COVID-19 vaccine sites for school employees
Four COVID-19 vaccination sites dedicated to Chicago public school teachers and staff are expected to be fully operational next week, district officials said.
Starting Monday, Chicago will reserve 1,500 weekly shots for employees in the country’s third-largest school district. This exceeds the 2,000 doses offered in recent days to teachers who are most at risk for illness or who return to classrooms before the district gradually reopens. Some preschool and pre-K students began face-to-face classes on Thursday.
Vaccination sites are in four schools, including Clemente High School, where some educators have already been shot. District officials said employees will be excused from work duties during vaccination appointments.
Illinois reports 1,631 new cases of COVID-19, 35 additional deaths
Illinois health officials reported 1,631 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus on Sunday, along with an additional 35 deaths.
According to the state Department of Public Health, the new cases on Sunday were the lowest recorded in a single day since early October. In total, 1,162,154 cases of the virus have been reported in Illinois since the start of the pandemic, along with 19,961 confirmed fatalities.
Another 2,160 deaths are classified as “probable” deaths by COVID-19.
Coronavirus by numbers: COVID-19 metrics in each of Illinois’ 11 health care regions
All of Illinois continues in phase 4 coronavirus mitigation, as virus-related metrics continue to improve throughout most of the state.
According to the IDPH website, all regions of the state have a positivity rate of 5% or less over the past seven days, and most regions continue to see decreases in hospitalizations.
Under current COVID mitigation rules, a region will remain in phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan unless it reports a positivity rate of more than 6.5% for three consecutive days, a bed availability in the ICU less than 20% or increase in hospitalizations in seven days 10-day period.
Here is each region.