Illinois reports 1,828 more positive virus tests, 5 deaths

CHICAGO (AP) - The state of Illinois reported on Saturday that 1,828 more people had tested positive for the coronavirus and five more people had died as a result of the virus.

The latest totals announced by the state's department of public health brings to 204,519 positive cases since the pandemic began and the total of deaths as of Saturday stands at 7,726.

Saturday's announcement comes a day after the health department announced that the 2,264 positive tests marked the third day in a week that the number of positive tests had surpassed the 2,000 mark.

In one bit of encouraging news, statistical data shows that the state's 7-day positivity rate dropped to 3.98 %, the first time the rate has fallen below 4 % since Aug. 5.

Currently 1,538 COVID-19 patients are currently in Illinois hospitals. Of those, 330 are in intensive care units, with 127 of those patients on ventilators, according to NBC-5 in Chicago.