COVID-19 one-day death total of 14 is lowest since March 30
The graph shows the rolling, 7-day positivity rate for tests completed starting on June 1. Illinois Department of Public Health data was used to calculate the averages.
Hospital bed use stays on downward trend as rolling positivity rate remains flat
By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – The seven-day rolling positivity rate for COVID-19 tests conducted remained at 2.7 percent Monday as the state reported the lowest single-day death total related to the pandemic since March 30.
There were 14 deaths reported Monday after 15 were reported Sunday and 26 on Saturday, bringing the COVID-19-related death toll since the pandemic began to 6,902 among 142,461 confirmed cases statewide.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also announced another 738 confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 26,918 tests completed over the previous 24 hours.
There were a combined 1,432 cases reported Saturday and Sunday as the number of new cases has leveled in recent weeks.
The number of persons hospitalized due to COVID-19 continued to trend downward as well, with total hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients dipping below 1,500 over the weekend for the first time since the state began reporting the data daily on April 12, before ticking back up to 1,501 as of 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
COVID-19-related intensive care unit bed and ventilator usage dipped to their lowest amounts as well, with 372 and 187 in use, respectively, as of 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
The state also reported Monday that the Illinois Department of Agriculture will host junior livestock and horse shows in place of the events that would have taken place at the canceled Illinois State Fairs.
The Junior Livestock Expo is scheduled to take place in Springfield for two consecutive weekends in September – the weekend of Sept. 11-13 for beef, sheep, dairy goats, pygmy goats and rabbits; and Sept. 18-20 for swine, dairy cattle and meat goats.
The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds will host a junior horse show on August 29-30 and Sept. 5-6.
“After the cancellations of the Illinois and Du Quoin State Fairs we knew there was a need to recognize our junior exhibitors who work year round preparing for the fairs,” Jerry Costello II, acting IDOA director, said in a statement. “We are excited to provide modified shows that will provide an opportunity for young adults to exhibit their animals safely following the Restore Illinois plan.”
Shows are limited to Illinois residents between the ages of 8 and 21.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Jerry Nowicki
Jerry has more than five years of experience in and around state government and nearly 10 years of experience in news. He grew up in south suburban Evergreen Park and received a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and a master’s degree online from Purdue University.
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