Illinois adds 20 virus deaths, 24 counties face warnings

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois health officials on Friday reported 20 more coronavirus deaths and 2,120 newly confirmed COVID-19 infections.

The new deaths and cases came as the Illinois Department of Public Health designated 24 of Illinois' 102 counties at the warning level for the risk of coronavirus spread. Those counties have reached two or more benchmarks that indicate COVID-19 is spreading there.

More than 270,300 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 8,411 deaths since the start of the pandemic in March, the agency said.

As of Thursday night, 1,481 people were reported to be in Illinois hospitals with COVID-19. Of those, 329 patients were in intensive care units and 149 patients were on ventilators. Those hospital figures are all down slightly from a week ago.