IL Reports 8,009 New Cases, 133 More Deaths On New Year's Eve

ILLINOIS — More than 16,000 Illinoisans have now died from COVID-19, including 133 new deaths reported Thursday, state health officials said. The state also reported another 8,009 new cases of the coronavirus, for a total of 963,389 infections since the pandemic began. New cases and deaths are both rising again, after steadily falling for several weeks.

The latest deaths in Illinois include:

• Adams County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Boone County: 1 male 40s
• Champaign County: 1 male 70s
• Christian County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
• Clay County: 1 female 100+
• Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 40s, 2 males 50s, 2 females 60s, 5 males 60s, 5 females 70s, 6 males 70s, 5 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 2 males 90s, 1 female 100+
• Crawford County: 1 male 80s
• Cumberland County: 1 female 90s
• DeKalb County: 1 female 90s, 3 males 90s
• DuPage County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 female 90s, 1 male 90s
• Edgard County: 1 male 80s
• Effingham County: 1 male 50s
• Fulton County: 1 female 80s
• Grundy County: 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
• Henderson County: 1 female 80s
• Iroquois County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
• Jefferson County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
• Jersey County: 1 male 80s
• Kane County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Kankakee County: 1 female 20s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
• Knox County: 2 males 60s, 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s
• Lake County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
• Logan County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
• Macon County: 1 female 80s
• Madison County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Mason County: 1 male 80s
• McLean County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
• Mercer County: 1 female 70s
• Montgomery County: 1 male 70s
• Pike County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Randolph County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
• Richland County: 1 female 90s, 2 males 90s
• Rock Island County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 2 females 90
• Sangamon County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Shelby County: 1 female 90s
• St. Clair County: 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s
• Tazewell County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Vermilion County: 2 females 90s
• White County: 1 male 80s
• Whiteside County: 1 male 80s
• Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 3 females 80s
• Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s
• Woodford County: 1 male 70s

Vaccinations started across the state two weeks ago, but federal officials say the process has been slow going and distribution is behind schedule. According to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office, less than 1 percent of the state's total population has received the first of two shots necessary for vaccination. As of Dec. 28, 126,211 shots had been administered across the state, including in Chicago.

Excluding the City of Chicago, 108,225 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 161,400 doses of the Moderna vaccine had been delivered across the state as of Dec. 29, Pritzker's office said.

As of Wednesday night, 4,093 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 across Illinois, including 837 in intensive care and 496 on ventilators.

The statewide case positivity rate — a rolling, seven-day average — rose 0.1 percentage points from Wednesday to 7.7 percent. The test positivity rate rose 0.1 percentage point to 9 percent.

According to Johns Hopkins University, a positivity rate of less than 5 percent is a good measure of whether enough tests are being conducted, and state officials have said a rate higher than 8 percent will trigger new restrictions in a given region.

See how your region is doing here.

The United States now has more than 19.8 million confirmed coronavirus infections, and at least 344,399 Americans have died from COVID -19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Based on the latest predictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 383,000 to 424,000 Americans could be dead from the disease by Jan. 23.

Globally, more than 83.1 million people have been infected and more than 1.8 million are known to have died.

Illinois Patch Local Business Information Center

As local and state economies slowly emerge from pandemic lockdowns, it's often hard for customers to know the conditions under which local businesses are open. The business center contains easily accessible and up-to-date information about scores of local businesses, including everything from operating hours to the availability of by-appointment services, quick website links and other contact information. It's free to use and free for businesses to join.

Here's what's happening with the coronavirus in Illinois:

18-Year-Old Dies Of COVID-19 Day After Christmas

Sarah Simental would have graduated from high school this spring: "She said, 'I'm going to be okay, Mom.' And that was the last thing.'"

Family Of Teen Who Took Own Life Taking Pritzker, IHSA To Court

After the pandemic struck, "Trevor was never the same," his mother said.

Will County Residents Encouraged To Register For COVID-19 Vaccine

A health department survey is important to planning for future vaccine clinics, county officials said.

Joliet Area Restaurant Openings And Closings For 2020

A number of restaurants closed their doors in Joliet for good in 2020, but many new restaurants opened even amid the pandemic.

Residents Donate $1.8K In Tips To Family Square Restaurant

Organizer of the event, Joe Giamanco, said this was about helping a restaurant amid the pandemic and asking for "nothing in return."

Juggling Remote Learning And Work Is 'Hard' For Working Parents

A Plainfield Patch reader said that as a working mother who has children in remote learning, she is "beyond stressed" every day.

Myocarditis Concerns Grow For Athletes Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Dr. Jason Robin, a cardiologist with NorthShore Medical Group, is a consultant with the Illinois High School Association.

FoxFire Takes Indoor Dining Fight To Illinois Supreme Court

The Geneva restaurant's lawyers are asking Illinois' highest court to overturn a statewide indoor-dining ban amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus Vaccine Ready For Public By March, Walgreens Predicts

The Deerfield-based company has begun administering Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine to 3 million residents in long-term care facilities.

Funds Available to Will County Residents Behind On Rent, Mortgage

Will County is coordinating four agencies dispersing a variety of federal funds to help families stay housed during the pandemic.

Illinois Coronavirus Helpline:

Illinois officials say a state helpline has been set up to provide emotional support and quick answers to questions about the coronavirus pandemic. Illinoisans can test "TALK" to 55-2020 (or "HABLAR" for Spanish), and within 24 hours they will receive a call from a counselor. Residents can also text keywords such as "UNEMPLOYMENT," "FOOD" or "SHELTER," to the same number to receive additional information about those topics.

Coronavirus by the numbers:

Illinois:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 963,389
• Confirmed Deaths: 16,490
• People tested: 13,277,443
• Recovered: Illinois does not provide exact numbers of recovered cases, but says the recovery rate is 97 percent.

Nationwide:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 19,893,290
• Deaths: 344,399
• People tested: 246,574,904
• Recovered: latest data unavailable

Global:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 83,192,664
• Deaths: 1,813,087
• People tested: No data available
• Recovered: 46,957,186

Sources: Johns Hopkins University and IDPH

Tips from the CDC on dealing with coronavirus:

While the best way to prevent illness is to avoid virus exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generally recommends taking these actions to prevent the spread of viruses:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

What to do if you're sick:

Call head if you're planning to visit your doctor:

• If you have a medical appointment, call the health care provider and tell them that you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the health care provider's office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed.

Stay home unless you must see a doctor:

• Stay home: People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to isolate at home during their illness. You should restrict activities outside your home, except for getting medical care.
• Avoid public areas: Do not go to work, school, or public areas.
• Avoid public transportation: Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis.

Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home:

• Stay away from others: As much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.
• Limit contact with pets and animals: You should restrict contact with pets and other animals while you are sick with COVID-19, just as you would around other people. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus.
• When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick. If you are sick with COVID-19, avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked and sharing food. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with pets and wear a face mask. See COVID-19 and Animals for more information.

Avoid sharing personal household items:

• Do not share: You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home.
• Wash thoroughly after use: After using these items, they should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.

Masks:

• CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
• Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
• Face mask instructions — sew- and no-sew masks

To donate personal protective equipment (PPE), email PPE.donations@illinois.gov. For health questions about COVID-19, call the state coronavirus hotline at 800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.