Another near-record day for Illinois deaths from COVID-19

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois public health officials on Wednesday reported 179 deaths related to COVID-19.

That's the fourth-highest single-day fatality total since the coronavirus entered Illinois in February. The largest total was 238 on Dec. 2.

Officials are still expecting darker days ahead - a surge of new cases of COVID-19 and deaths to accompany them because of holiday gatherings where the virus can spread.

But the number of fresh infections recorded Wednesday was 8,256, the fifth day in a row the number has fallen below 10,000.

There were 5,284 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, a number that has not been lower than 5,000 since Nov. 10. There was a slight uptick from the previous day in the sickest patients, with 1,176 in intensive are and 647 on ventilators.

Overall, 13,666 Illinoisans have died as a result of COVID-19 complications and 812,430 have tested positive for the virus.