1,707 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Illinois, 25 deaths

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 1,707 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 and 24 deaths due to the virus.

The health department also reported 390 coronavirus patients were hospitalized in intensive care units across the state late Wednesday, with 152 on ventilators. That is the highest number of people receiving critical care because of COVID-19 since late June.

Current COVID-19 patients occupy about 10% of the state's ICU beds and are using 3% of its ventilators. At the height of the pandemic in mid-May, Illinois ICUs were treating nearly 1,300 coronavirus patient daily, with close to half on ventilators.

The new cases reported Thursday were confirmed from 44,510 tests, raising the statewide, seven-day positivity rate to 4.1%.

High positivity rates, an indication of how rapidly the virus is spreading, prompted Gov. J.B. Pritzker to roll back bar and restaurant service last week in the downstate Metro East region, which has a 10% positivity rate Pritzker this week banned indoor dining in Will and Kankakee counties, where the positivity rate is at 8.3%.