State reports 2,727 more COVID-19 cases, but death totals fall

High totals of new COVID-19 infections in Illinois continued for another day Sunday, but there was some good news as state health authorities reported the smallest daily death toll in nearly three weeks.

The state reported 2,727 new confirmed cases Sunday, maintaining a trend of five consecutive days with more than 2,500 additional infections. There were only two days of 2,500 or more infections in the previous 30 days.

But the nine deaths reported Sunday were the fewest since Sept. 21, when state health officials reported six deaths. Among the deaths confirmed Sunday were two Cook County residents, both in their 90s, two DuPage County residents, a woman in her 70s and a woman, and a Will County woman in her 50s.

Sunday's figures bring the state's totals to 319,150 cases and 8,984 deaths.

Along with case totals, the seven-day test positivity rate also is trending up, with the rate standing at 4.2% from Oct. 4-10. That's up from 4% reported Saturday and 3.3% the previous Sunday. Within the previous 24 hours, 64,047 tests were reported, state officials said Sunday.

As of Saturday night, 1,776 people were hospitalized in Illinois with COVID-19, according to the state. Of those, 388 were in intensive care and 159 patients were on ventilators.