Suburban Cook County is close to meeting the metrics to move from the Tier 2 mitigations to Tier 1. The metrics to make that move are:
– – A test positivity rate between 6.5% and 8% for three consecutive days (7-day average), and
– – Staffed ICU bed availability greater than 20% for three consecutive days (7-day average), and
– – No sustained increase in COVID patients in hospital (7-day average for 7 of 10 days).
Suburban Cook County meets the last two criteria, but has not hada test positivity rate under 8% for three consecutive days. The most recent data posted by IDPH shows, though, that the test positivity rate was 8% on Jan. 17 and 7.9% on Jan. 18.
Under new rules, if a Region moves from Tier 2 to Tier 1, a limited reopening of bars and restaurants will be allowed. Last week, Gov. Pritzker said, “Any Regions that meet the criteria for Tier 1 of our resurgence mitigations will be able to allow restaurants and bars that serve food to operate indoors at the lesser of 25 people or 25% capacity per room with tables of no more than four people.”
Other restrictions are loosened up as well in Tier 1. For more information, click here. https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/restore-illinois-mitigation-plan
Evanston
There were 9 new confirmed COVID-19 cases of Evanston residents today.
The average number of new cases per day in the last seven days is 11.6, down from 22.4 on Jan. 14. For purposes of comparison, on Oct. 12, the seven-day average was 5.6.
During the last seven days there was an average of 1,072 tests per day. The high number of tests is likely due to testing of Northwestern University students. In the last three days, the average number of tests per day is 401, which is more in line with the historical average.
There has been a total of 3,485 COVID-19 cases of Evanston residents during the pandemic, 249 of which are active. An accompanying chart shows the trend.
In the last seven days, there was a total of 81 new COVID-19 cases of Evanstonians. That equates to about 105 new cases per 100,000 people in the seven-day period. IDPH’s target to control community spread is 50.
The case positivity rate over the last seven days is 1.1%.
No Evanstonian died due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at 104.
Impact of Northwestern University. Northwestern University has posted data on its website reporting that between Jan. 14 and 20, there were 30 new confirmed COVID-19 cases of faculty, staff and students. The number includes those who live outside of Evanston. The City says it does not know how many of these cases are people who live in Evanston.
Illinois
In the State, there were 4,979 new COVID-19 cases reported today.
Statewide, the average number of new cases per day in the last seven days is 4,807. The seven-day average one week ago, on Jan. 14, was 6,376, so today’s number is a decrease of 35%.
Today’s seven-day average is down from an all-time high of 12,380 on Nov. 17. The chart below shows the trend.
In the seven days ending Jan. 20, the number of new cases per 100,000 people in the State was 266.
The seven-day case positivity rate for the State today is 5.5% and the test positivity rate is 6.5%. IDPH’s target to control community spread is 5%.
The charts below show the cases per 100,000 and the test positivity rates for Evanston, Suburban Cook County, Chicago and Illinois.
On a Statewide basis, the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 was 3,281 as of midnight on Jan. 20. This is down from an all-time high of 6,171 on Nov. 23.
The number of patients using ICU beds is 662, down from 1,195 on Dec. 1. The number of patients on ventilators is 358, down from 724 on Dec. 1.
Deaths: On a Statewide basis, there were 123 deaths due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, which brings the total to 18,520.
For the last seven days, the numbers of deaths in the State are 123, 130, 29, 50, 107, and 123 today. The seven-day average is 80.
Vaccines
As of last night, a total of 1,425,075 doses of vaccinations had been delivered to providers in Illinois, including the doses allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. IDPH reported that a total of 572,389 vaccines have been administered.
FOR A MORE DETAILED ARTICLE COVERING KEY METRICS FOR EVANSTON, SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY, CHICAGO AND ILLIONOIS AS OF JAN. 18 CLICK HERE.