Tag Archives: covid cases

Health

Philadelphia ‘Tripledemic’: Health commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole offers advice on holiday gatherings amid flu, COVID, RSV

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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Officials with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health are urging everyone to take precautions when it comes to holiday gatherings amid the ‘tripledemic’ of respiratory illnesses.

“We are seeing a big wave, particularly of flu virus right now. We’ve been seeing COVID throughout the fall. COVID is a little bit higher than it’s been. We had a big RSV wave and now we are facing a very steeply rising rate of flu,” Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said during a press conference Wednesday.

She is mostly concerned about spreading respiratory illnesses to two vulnerable populations: children under 4 and senior citizens.

Bettigole said pediatric hospitals are strained right now with kids coming in sick, having trouble breathing, and having to wait 12 or more hours to be seen.

“When pediatric hospital ERs are this crowded, it’s really easy for a child to wait too long, so this is the reason we really want to make sure people are paying attention to this and doing the things they can to tamp down infection,” Bettigole said.

For the flu, Bettigole said, the best thing to do is get the vaccine.

“I’ll say as a parent, every year on average we have one healthy child (in the city) who is unvaccinated for the flu and dies of flu,” Bettigole said. “For parents, you have a lot of things on your to-do list, but it is something you can do to protect your kids and protect all of our kids.”

She said with the ‘tripledemic’ going around the Philly area, her advice is what she called the “basic stuff.”

She said if you’re sick to stay home and don’t go to the holiday party.

Mask in crowded indoor spaces. She said masking remains very useful but it doesn’t mean you are in a mask at all times.

And she said to get the flu and COVID vaccines when you’re eligible.

In terms of COVID, she’s worried about people over 65.

“It is more true than ever that the people dying from COVID are people over 65,” Bettigole said.

She said one of the biggest things to focus on is the timing of events this holiday season.

“Our tradition in our society is often to have lots of big parties leading to Christmas and then getting together with older relatives,” Bettigole said.

She said with the flu and COVID rising, the best thing would be to either flip those plans – have the parties after you see the older relatives – or do a mini-quarantine in between events.

Bettigole said the quarantine option is possible because the omicron variant of COVID has a quick incubation period of two or three days.

“So if you wait four or five days and you’re not sick, especially if you test just to make sure, you’re going to be much safer going to see people who are vulnerable,” Bettigole said.

But skipping the party altogether might work best for others.

“It seems like a little thing not to go to a big party right before you see a senior, but thinking about that timing in advance so you don’t find yourself (saying,) ‘Oh, I’m going to see grandma on Sunday and I went to that big party Friday night.’ That is the perfect timing for you to be contagious with COVID and not know it yet.”

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Health

You may still get COVID even if you’re vaccinated; watch out for these 5 symptoms

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In order to dispel the misconception that people who have already been exposed to the coronavirus are immune to future infections, a recent study highlighted five frequent symptoms found in individuals who have received the coronavirus vaccination. These five symptoms, according to the UK’s ZOE COVID, are what the vaccinated people need to be alert for.

Chronic Cough

A fresh, persistent cough is typical with COVID. Long-term, persistent coughing can make a person drowsy. The person may get exhausted and unable to perform even basic everyday tasks as a result. Herbal medicines can be used to treat chronic coughs at home. When a coughing spell is about to begin, try drinking some ginger tea to soothe the discomfort.

Runny nose

A runny nose is a typical symptom, as per the study. This is a typical indicator that was observed in earlier COVID waves as well. People still get runny noses even after receiving the recommended vaccinations because it is a respiratory ailment. The virus infection causes watery nasal discharge, which is visible all day long. Few persons who have a runny nose also experience nasal channel obstruction. Steaming can occasionally be therapeutic.

Also Read: Avoid going out: Expert warns elderly people as highly-infectious new COVID variant causes alarm

Nose blockage

When the nose is obstructed, breathing is difficult. You gasp for oxygen even though you are seated. Sleeping becomes arduous when a person can’t breathe normally while doing so due to a blocked nose. In order to keep the nasal passages clear of infections, it is advisable to breathe in steam rather than nasal sprays, which may only offer temporary relief.

Headache

Along with a sore throat, a cough and a blocked nose, a headache is also noticeable. Simple functions like breathing might become very difficult to do, which can have a big effect on your head. The infection may also result in pain and headaches.

Also Read: New Covid variant alert: Meet omicron’s newest cousin, BF.7

Throat pain

This symptom became one of the most common during the early phases of the Omicron driven COVID wave. The ZOE COVID study found that sore throats were the most prevalent COVID symptoms among individuals who had received immunizations. A constant burning sensation in the throat, trouble swallowing, and difficulty speaking are the hallmarks of this condition.

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US

LA County mask mandate: Health officials decline to impose universal public indoor rule

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LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The Los Angeles County Health Department declined Thursday to impose a universal public indoor mask mandate, citing a “decent decrease” in cases and hospitalizations.

Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer made the announcement during a livestreamed meeting.

“Given the declines in case of hospitalization numbers, we’re hopeful that the admission rate over the next few days remains under 10 new admissions per 100,000 residents and L.A. County is soon officially moved by (the Centers for Disease Control) to the ‘medium’ community level,” Ferrer said. “As I noted last week, any indication that the county would soon be moving to the medium community level would be a good reason to not move forward with universal indoor masking.”

For most of the pandemic, L.A. County has required masks in some indoor spaces, including health care facilities, Metro trains and buses, airports, jails and homeless shelters. The new mandate would have expanded the requirement to all indoor public spaces, including shared offices, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, retail stores, restaurants and bars, theaters and schools.

WATCH | Dr. Barbara Ferrer discusses county’s decision to not reinstate indoor mask mandate

Supervisor Kathryn Barger hailed the decision to hold off on reinstating the rule.

“Unenforceable mandates don’t work,” Barger said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “We must continue to marshal our mandates and resources effectively in the fight against COVID-19.”

Supervisor Janice Hahn had joined her in opposing a mandate, saying she feared imposing such a rule would be “very divisive for L.A. County.”

“I honestly believe there are a significant number of the population who are not willing to accept mask mandates at this point,” Hahn said. “And many of them, the ones that have contacted me, pointed out that we do have more tools now than we had at the beginning of the pandemic.”

The county entered the “high” category two weeks ago when the average daily rate of COVID-related hospital admissions rose above 10 per 100,000 residents. As of July 21, the rate was 11.7 admissions per 100,000 residents.

Earlier this week, as residents awaited the decision, several cities — Beverly Hills, El Segundo, Pasadena and Long Beach — announced they would not enforce an indoor mask mandate if one were implemented.

The El Segundo City Council voted during a special meeting Tuesday night against enforcing a possible mask order.

The Beverly Hills City Council cast a similar vote Monday night. The cities of Long Beach and Pasadena — both of which operate their own health departments separate from the county — announced Tuesday they would not issue mask mandates, even if the county did.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said cases may have slowed, but he would support whatever health officials decide.

“If they say this is something we need to do for a couple weeks to help gets kids in schools, I’ll be supportive of that,” Garcetti told reporters. “But it does look like it may have crested in terms of the number of cases. If that happens with hospitalizations as well, we may not need to go to mandatory masking.”

City News Service contributed to this report.

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Health

Chicago COVID update: With cases rising, officials urge face mask use over Memorial Day weekend

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago area public health officials are urging people to put masks back on in certain situations, especially over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The warning comes as a recent COVID surge has moved Chicago and many surrounding counties into the CDC’s high community transmission level. However, returning to a mask mandate seems a long way off.

Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, with many people planning to gather with family and friends, Chicago Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Allison Arwady urged people to wear masks when indoors with the city in the high risk category.

“We ask everybody for this short time period while we are in high put that mask on especially if you are in an indoor crowded setting,” Dr. Arwady said.

But, will people voluntarily comply? Psychiatric experts say compliance rates definitely increase if people are required to do something, but after two years, mandates are tough as people suffer from COVID fatigue.

“You can only demand conformity or mandate conformity for a period of time until people become weary of it,” said Dr. Robert Shulman at Rush University.

WATCH | Dr. Arwady on what it means when Chicago moves to ‘high’ COVID risk

Chicago’s not alone. In the Chicago area, Cook, DuPage, Lake (IL), McHenry, Will and Grundy counties all appeared as “high risk” on the CDC’s map when it was updated Thursday afternoon.

Despite the recommendation to wear masks, it is not a requirement for now.

“I’m going to wear my mask inside, it’s probably the right thing to do,” Michael Pattis said.

What does is mean to be at high COVID level?

“It’s hard to breathe, plus it should be your choice to wear one or not,” Raymond Rodgers said. “I’m not going to do it.”

In Chicago, compared to the start of the pandemic when 50 to 60 people a day were dying, the current average is less than one per day.

Despite an increase in hospitalization numbers, they’re still a fraction of what they were during the omicron peak a few months ago.

At Edward-Elmhurst Health, COVID-related hospitalizations have more than doubled in the past five weeks.

But compared to other surges, fewer patients are critically ill.

“Because of vaccinations and the protection they have and because of anti-viral treatments, we’re not seeing severe illness lead to death or ICU care as much,” Dr. Jonathan Pinsky, Medical Director of Infection Control at Edward Elmhurst Health, said.

But health officials are keeping a close eye on how stressed the healthcare system may become.

“If we see an increase in stress, than we’ll have to take other measures,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin, at Cook County Dept. of Public Health.

Rubin said hospitalizations can remain low if people do the right thing and mask up.

“What I would hope is for the management of these public spaces – whether it’s a retail establishment or event space – that they would do their best to ask people put masks on,” Rubin added.

To keep it under control, Arwady said more Chicagoans need to get boosted. The rate has remained low for months, with only 42% of eligible residents having received a booster shot.

In addition, Arwady said residents should avoid crowded indoor gatherings, limit gatherings to small numbers and test right away if you have symptoms.

Anyone who tests positive is asked to isolate for five days and if they are feeling better, they can go in public while wearing a mask for the next five days.

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Health

Chicago COVID update: With cases rising, officials urge face mask use over Memorial Day weekend

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago area public health officials have urged people to put masks back on in certain situations.

The warning comes as a recent COVID surge has moved Chicago and many surrounding counties into the CDC’s high community transmission level. However, returning to a mask mandate seems a long way off.

Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, with many people planning to gather with family and friends, Chicago Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Allison Arwady urged people to wear masks when indoors with the city in the high risk category.

“We ask everybody for this short time period while we are in high put that mask on especially if you are in an indoor crowded setting,” Dr. Arwady said.

WATCH | Dr. Arwady on what it means when Chicago moves to ‘high’ COVID risk

Chicago’s not alone. In the Chicago area, Cook, DuPage, Lake (IL), McHenry, Will and Grundy counties all appeared as “high risk” on the CDC’s map when it was updated Thursday afternoon.

Despite the recommendation to wear masks, it is not a requirement for now.

“I’m going to wear my mask inside, it’s probably the right thing to do,” Michael Pattis said.

“It’s hard to breath, plus it should be your choice to wear one or not,” Raymond Rodgers said. “I’m not going to do it.”

In Chicago, compared to the start of the pandemic when 50 to 60 people a day were dying, the current average is less than one per day.

Despite an increase in hospitalization numbers, they’re still a fraction of what they were. during the Omicron peak a few months ago…

At Edward-Elmhurst Health, COVID-related hospitalizations have more than *doubled in the past five weeks.

But compared to other surges, fewer patients are critically ill.

“Because of vaccinations and the protection they have and because of anti-viral treatments, we’re not seeing severe illness lead to death or ICU care as much,” Dr. Jonathan Pinsky, Medical Director of Infection Control at Edward Elmhurst Health, said.

To keep it under control, Arwady said more Chicagoans need to get boosted. The rate has remained low for months, with only 42% of eligible residents having received a booster shot.

In addition, Arwady said residents should avoid crowded indoor gatherings, limit gatherings to small numbers and test right away if you have symptoms.

Anyone who tests positive is asked to isolate for five days and if they are feeling better, they can go in public while wearing a mask for the next five days.

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Health

Illinois COVID Update Today: IL reports 6,406 new coronavirus cases, 8 deaths

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois reported 6,406 new COVID cases and 8 deaths Wednesday.

There have been at least 3,274,360 total COVID cases as of Wednesday, including at least 33,796 related deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

As of Monday night, 1,138 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 120 patients were in the ICU, and 35 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

RELATED | Pfizer says its 3-shot COVID vaccine for kids 6 months to 5 years old 80% effective against omicron

IDPH officials reported a seven-day case average of 41.6 per 100,000 people.

A total of 22,270,391 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Tuesday, and 64.76% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 13,957.

RELATED | COVID reinfection likely to become more common without variant-specific vaccines, experts say

Chicago’s top doctor expects the city will move from the “medium” risk level of community transmission to “high” by Friday.

Dr. Allison Arwady is urging people who are unvaccinated or with underlying conditions to avoid indoor gatherings.

She does not anticipate the return of mask mandates unless more people are hospitalized.

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Health

COVID reinfection likely to become more common without variant-specific vaccines, experts say

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Infectious disease specialists say COVID reinfection is likely to become more and more common as the virus keeps mutating and our vaccines play catch-up.

“The variants seem to be very good at evading the immunity of prior infection,” said Dr. Max Brito, UIC Health.

Chicago Bulls All Star Zach LaVine recently missed a playoff game due to his third bout with COVID. Like in his case, reinfection is becoming more common even among people who became infected during the omicron surge.

RELATED: IL reports 5,327 new COVID cases, 14 deaths

Experts say while prior infection does give you an initial boost of antibodies, with omicron sub-variants it doesn’t last long.

“You have the potential for new waves with a lot infection and waning protection from the vaccine,” Brito said.

A Rush University Medical Center study followed the antibody levels of 1,100 vaccinated employees, and found that the levels dramatically drop in six months after two doses.

“In six months we’ve lost 90% of those antibodies and those antibodies are measured against the viral type and if you’re talking about antibodies against omicron it’s lower than that,” said Dr. James Moy, Rush University Medical Center.

Moy said levels go way back up with a booster, but there’s not enough data on how long the immunity lasts, especially against sub-variants.

“Unfortunately, it seems like COVID-19 has evolved to the point where it will keep infecting us with new variants and new mutations,” he said.

The immunity provided by vaccines and infection wanes, but both have provided enough protection to keep people out of hospitals for now. That may change in fall and winter.

Doctors say the only way to stop people from getting infected or reinfected is a new variant-specific vaccine. Drug companies are currently conducting trials with the hope of having such a vaccine available in the next few months.

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Health

Evanston, Illinois raises COVID transmission level to ‘high’ as cases climb; Recommendations issued based on CDC guidelines

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EVANSTON, Ill. (WLS) — Evanston is now at a “high” COVID community level, as defined by the CDC, due to rising hospitalizations, not just case numbers.

Over the past seven days, Evanston has reported 397 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, up from 305 the week prior.

US COVID death toll reaches 1 million; Biden marks grim milestone

As a result, Evanston’s Health and Human Services has made the following recommendations based on CDC guidelines:

-Wearing a mask indoors in public irrespective of vaccination status including K-12 schools and other indoor public settings
-Wearing a mask or respirator that provides greater protection if you are a high risk individual for severe disease
-Wearing a mask if you have symptoms, a positive test, or have had an exposure to someone with COVID-19

-Socializing outdoors if possible and avoiding poorly ventilated indoor settings
-Getting tested before attending a family or public event. Home tests are ideal for this purpose
– Contacting your doctor right away to get treatment for COVID-19 if you are diagnosed
– Staying up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
– Following CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19.

Could COVID mask mandates return?

People flocking to restaurants in the north suburb Friday evening were seemingly unconcerned about rising COVID cases.

“We’ve been vaxxed, double vaxxed, triple vaxxed, and now it’s time to start getting on with life,” resident Mike Joyce said.

“I’m not too worried about it,” Christina Joyce said. “People already are very much experienced about how to protect themselves.”

Despite the elevated risk, Evanston’s Health and Human Services Director Ike Ogbo said the city is not bringing back mask mandates.

“But, we also have that in our tool box, if we continue to see a sustained high transmission rate in Evanston,” Ogbo said.

Instead, public health officials strongly recommend masking indoors, regardless of vaccine status and urge residents to get up to date with vaccination and boosters.

Ogbo said the same advice goes to Evanston Township High School students who are attending their prom this weekend.

“With any big event comes issues with contracting COVID,” Ogbo said. “That is why it’s necessary for individuals to follow these public health initiatives.”

Across our area, only Kenosha and Racine counties in Wisconsin are at a “high” community level. Other Chicago area counties are at “medium” or “low” risk, with the city of Chicago also at “medium.”

City officials say hospitalizations would need to double to go to the next level.

“It is possible we can go to high, but I don’t think it is imminent in the next week certainly,” Chicago Dept. of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said. “But this is why we asking while we are at “medium” to put masks back on try to gather outside if you can.”

At the state level, officials said mask mandates are not being discussed.

“If we get in high, we’re going to ask people to be really careful and avoid indoor crowded spaces when possible,” said Dr. Amaal Tokars, acting director of Illinois Dept. of Public Health.

Cases and hospitalizations have been on the rise, but COVID-related deaths remain at a pandemic low. Officials credit the vaccine and effective treatments, and say now is the time to get vaccinated and boosted if you have not already.

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Health

COVID rates Chicago: CDC, health experts urge caution for Mother’s Day weekend gatherings as cases rise

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CHICAGO (WLS) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said Chicago now falls in the medium transmission risk level just ahead of Mother’s Day, warning experts of another possible surge.

That’s why officials are urging people to mask up and avoid gatherings altogether if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

Doctors also said an at-home test might not even detect the virus if symptoms are mild.

For now, Chicago officials are not requiring masks, but strongly recommend wearing them, especially in indoor spaces.

Chicago and suburban counties are now at “medium” community level, with more than 200 new cases per 100,000 reported in the last seven days.

“You want to be really careful,” said Dr. Susan Bleasdale, director for infection prevention at UI Health. “If you’re visiting your mother, and there’s someone that is vulnerable, if you’re going to visit them, you may choose to wear a mask the entire time you visit together.”

If Chicago moves from medium to a “high” community level, more mitigations would be possible, but that would require a steep increase in hospitalizations, which have been on the rise but only moderately.

Illinois COVID cases

Illinois reported 7,709 new COVID cases and seven deaths Friday as the CDC said nine Chicago-area counties have reached a “medium” risk of transmission.

There have been at least 3,169,315 total COVID cases as of Friday, including at least 33,660 related deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

RELATED: Count of US COVID deaths nears 1 million: Who we’ve lost and why

As of Thursday night, 808 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 66 patients were in the ICU, and 24 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

A total of 22,018,536 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Thursday, and 64.76% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 14,163.

Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, Will, DeKalb, Kendall and Winnebago counties have “medium” COVID risk levels, according to the CDC.

“You know, especially that 0 to 19 group, they’re reporting the most cases every day,” said Chris Hoff, with DuPage County Health Dept. “But we are seeing increases in every age group across the community.”

In an email to Chicago Public Schools families and staff, CEO Pedro Martinez said the district would continue “strongly encouraging the use of masks in our schools, especially among our unvaccinated students, and especially when cases are rising.” But the school system followed the city’s lead in opting against a mandate.

“As we have done since the start of the pandemic, CPS will continue to follow the recommendations of the Chicago Department of Public Health when making decisions about how this change will impact our schools,” Martinez wrote in the email.

The district has fought efforts over the past few months by a group of parents and a downstate candidate for attorney general to get rid of all COVID-19 precautions in schools. Martinez announced CPS would drop its mask mandate in March just a week after he had reaffirmed the school system’s commitment to face coverings. Though his announcement cited a sharp decline in cases, he later hinted the move was intended to preemptively avoid a pending court ruling that would have blocked CPS’ ability to mandate masks in the future. He assured families, though, that CPS would reinstate the requirement if cases rose again.

While masks still won’t be required for now, the district will continue its isolation policy for unvaccinated students and staff, requiring those who are exposed to COVID-19 to work or learn from home for five days, then wear a mask in school for the next five days.

Sun-Times Media contributed to this report.

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Health

Illinois COVID Update Today: IL reports 7,709 new cases, 7 deaths; CDPH recommends masks in public indoor spaces

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois reported 7,709 new COVID cases and 7 deaths Friday as the CDC said 9 Chicago-area counties have reached a “medium” risk of transmission.

There have been at least 3,169,315 total COVID cases as of Friday, including at least 33,660 related deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

As of Thursday night, 808 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 66 patients were in the ICU, and 24 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

A total of 22,018,536 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Thursday, and 64.76% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 14,163.

Ahead of a busy weekend of Mother’s Day celebrations, officials are urging people to mask up and avoid gatherings altogether if you have any symptoms at all.

Chicago and several suburban counties are now at a “medium” community level, defined by the CDC as having more than 200 new cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days.

“There unfortunately is a misconception that we’re out of this, and so I think people are not as cautious as they were before,” said Dr. Susan Bleasdale, director for infection prevention at UI Health.

Chicago city officials are now strongly recommending masks be worn in indoor public spaces, including on CTA and in CPS schools.

“Everyone should be wearing a mask,” said Dr. Emily Landon, director of infection prevention at UChicago Medicine. “If you’ve got an event coming up that you don’t want to be sick for, a vacation that you don’t want to miss because you’re home with COVID, you need to be wearing a mask all the time.”

For now, it’s still a recommendation and not a requirement. But if hospitalizations continue to climb, that could be on the horizon.

The move to medium level comes ahead of busy Mother’s Day weekend for many with families planning get togethers. Doctors caution rapid tests may not detect COVID if your symptoms are mild.

“You want to be really careful,” Bleasdale said. “If you’re visiting your mother, and there’s someone that is vulnerable, if you’re going to visit them, you may choose to wear a mask the entire time you visit together.”

CDPH also said Chicagoans should also ensure that they and everyone in their social network is up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, test in the setting of any potential COVID-19 symptoms and continue to follow all isolation and quarantine requirements.

Still, CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady said Chicago moving into the “medium” level does not mean a citywide mask mandate, restrictions on public gatherings or reinstatement of vaccination requirements at this time. Arwady said CDPH would consider those measures if the city moved into the “high” community level, “which we aren’t close to reaching in Chicago right now.”

“We obviously don’t want to get there, and exercising some more caution now will help us keep COVID in control in Chicago,” Arwady said.

She added that moving into the “medium” level is not cause for alarm.

“We’ve been expecting to reach the Medium Level for some time now,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady. “It’s not a cause for alarm, since most cases right now are mild and thankfully our COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths remain at or near all-time pandemic lows in Chicago. But it is reason for more caution, and for more care with masking, since more people in Chicago are infected with COVID right now. Remember that people can spread COVID for two days before they develop symptoms, so putting on a mask in public indoor settings is an easy way to help protect our city while we’re at a Medium COVID Level.”

Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, Will, DeKalb, Kendall and Winnebago counties have “medium” COVID risk levels, according to the CDC.

“You know, especially that 0 to 19 group, they’re reporting the most cases every day,” said Chris Hoff, with DuPage County Health Dept. “But we are seeing increases in every age group across the community.”

Cook County has a weekly COVID case rate of 259.31 infections per 100,000 people.

Lake County has a weekly COVID case rate of 331.64 infections per 100,000 people.

McHenry County has a weekly COVID case rate of 254.41 infections per 100,000 people.

Kane County has a weekly COVID case rate of 248.68 infections per 100,000 people.

DuPage County has a weekly COVID case rate of 365.69 infections per 100,000 people.

Will County has a weekly COVID case rate of 239.6 infections per 100,000 people.

DeKalb County has a weekly COVID case rate of 275.51 infections per 100,000 people.

Kendall County has a weekly COVID case rate of 251.96 infections per 100,000 people.

Winnebago County has a weekly COVID case rate of 218.35 infections per 100,000 people.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

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