Illinois COVID cases: IL reports 9,784 new cases, 79 deaths

Suburban Cook County reports omicron case

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Saturday, December 18, 2021
COVID double surge concerns some doctors
Doctors expected another COVID surge come winter time, but the omicron variant brings the possibility of a surge upon a surge, which is concerning for health experts.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials reported 9,784 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 79 related deaths Wednesday.

There have been 1,921,433 total COVID cases, including 27,013 deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

The seven-day statewide test positivity rate is 5.8%.

SEE ALSO: Mayor Lori Lightfoot considering new mitigations as Chicago COVID cases rise

Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported testing 142,873 new specimens for a total of 41,632,021 since the pandemic began.

As of Tuesday night, 3,614 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 759 patients were in the ICU and 382 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

A total of 18,322,040 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Tuesday, and 59.62% of the state's population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 67,426.

SEE ALSO | Chicago Public Schools distributing 150K COVID testing kits for students to use over winter break

Suburban Cook County reported its first case of the omicron variant on Tuesday, officials announced Wednesday.