6 more dead as Illinois reports second-highest COVID-19 infection rate this month
With nearly 1,200 new COVID-19 cases announced Monday, Illinois saw the second-highest daily infection rate this month at 3.4% with the results of 34,598 tests.
In addition to the 1,173 new cases announced Monday, Illinois Department of Public Health officials announced 6 more people have died from the respiratory disease.
That puts the state's death toll at 7,301, while 162,748 residents have tested positive for the disease since the outbreak began.
Sunday and Monday death figures are routinely sparse because most downstate coroners don't perform autopsies or investigations on weekends. Those deaths tend to show up later in the week.
Still, deaths from the disease have dipped significantly from May when the state was averaging more than 100 deaths a day for more than two weeks. From last Tuesday through Monday, the state averaged 12 deaths a day, according to state public health figures.
However, researchers and health experts all note that deaths are a lagging indicator. They warn as the infection rate continues to increase, a spike in deaths will likely accompany it in a few weeks' time.
Monday also saw an increase in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide, IDPH reported. However, the number of those people hospitalized with the disease who were in intensive care declined.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a series of business roll backs as cases started to climb in the city. Bars that don't serve food will no longer be allowed to serve alcohol starting Friday. Indoor fitness classes will be limited to 10 people and personal services requiring the removal of masks - such as shaves and facials - are banned again as well.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he remained concerned about the state's infection rate. While praising Lightfoot's decision, he did not hint that similar statewide rollbacks were being considered.
"Our city and county leaders with case numbers and hospitalizations rising ... can and should do what they know is right to protect their residents," he said Monday at a news conference in Urbana.
Pritzker also reiterated his beliefs that it was still too unsafe to allow most high school sports.
"I'm very concerned looking at the situation that occurred in Lake Zurich," Pritzker added, referring to Lake Zurich High School students attending sports camps who tested positive for COVID-19 this month.
Lake County health officials have said they traced the transmissions to social gatherings that occurred before the camps began.
Pritzker referenced international studies of countries where students have returned to school showing higher COVID-19 transmissions among children engaged in organized sports.
"I know that a lot of coaches and schools are making preparations to do this right but there's no guarantees in this world of COVID-19," he said. "This a moment when we're just going to have to make decisions as we go."