COVID-19 hospitalizations at highest level since February

COVID-19 hospitalizations rose 2.6% in Illinois in the past week, to the highest level since Feb. 2.

State health officials on Friday reported 2,346 people were hospitalized and 549 were in intensive care.

Less than 20% of ICU beds are available in suburban Cook County hospitals, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

IDPH officials also reported 46 more Illinois residents have died from the virus, while 5,309 new cases were diagnosed.

The state's death toll from COVID-19 now stands at 24,261, while 1,564,386 cases have been diagnosed since the onset of the pandemic.

The state's seven-day case positivity rate, which allows health officials to track the growth of infection within a certain population, is now at 4.5%. The rate is the percentage of new cases derived from a batch of tests.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccine providers throughout Illinois have administered 23,943 more doses, according to the latest IDPH figures.

Statewide, 14,149,453 doses of the vaccine have been administered, and IDPH officials are reporting 53.7% of the state's population is fully vaccinated.

Vaccine providers throughout the state are averaging 20,514 shots a day, according to the most recent IDPH figures.

DuPage County has 63.3% of the population fully vaccinated, which is the highest rate in the state.

In suburban Cook County, 59.2% of residents are fully vaccinated, while 56.4% of Lake County are, as well.

More than 54% of residents in both McHenry and Kane counties are fully vaccinated.

Will County has fully vaccinated 53.8% of its population, according to IDPH figures.