Promising trend continues in Ill. with 42 new COVID deaths

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois public health officials reported 42 COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, marking the ninth straight day of fewer than 100 virus-related deaths.

In a news release, the Illinois Department of Public Health also reported 1,922 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases.

The number of deaths has slowed dramatically since late last year, with Feb. 11 the only day this month when there were more than 100. The latest figures bring the number of COVID-19 deaths in the state o 20,234 and the number of confirmed and probable cases to 1,172,824.

The department also reported there were in the state as of Friday night 1,551 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 351 of those patients in intensive care units and 171 on ventilators.

The state has received 2.7 million doses of the vaccine designed to prevent the virus, and has administered 2,138519 of them as either the first or second of the two required shots for each person to be inoculated.