Illinois surpasses 250,000 COVID-19 cases with 1,381 more, plus 8 deaths

The Illinois Department of Public Health Monday announced 1,381 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, plus eight additional confirmed deaths.

The new cases bring the state's total number to more than 250,000.

The deaths included three Cook County men in their 50s, 60s and 70s, and a DuPage County man in his 70s.

The department is reporting a total of 250,961 cases, including 8,179 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois.

The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a percentage of total tests from Aug. 31 through Sept. 6 is 4.2%.

Within the 24 hours before the department's noon announcement Monday, laboratories had reported 28,975 specimens for a total of 4,447,347.

As of Sunday night, 1,484 people in Illinois were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 352 patients were in intensive care units and 137 were on ventilators.

Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the department is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website.

The state's other newly reported deaths Monday included one man in his 70s in Coles County, one man in his 90s in Jefferson County, one woman in her 80s in LaSalle County and one woman in her 90s in Perry County.