Illinois reports 40 more COVID-19 deaths, another 3,292 cases

State health officials reported 40 more COVID-19 deaths Sunday, along with 3,292 new cases of the respiratory disease.

That brings the state's death toll from the virus to 18,750, with 1,101,819 who have been infected since the outset of the pandemic.

The state's seven-day average case positivity rate now stands at 4.8%, it's lowest point since Oct. 14, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data. Case positivity allows health officials track the level of spread through a specific population. A seven-day average is used to smooth out any daily reporting anomalies in the number of new cases and tests.

Statewide, there were 2,994 patients being treated for COVID-19 in hospitals. The last time there were fewer than 3,000 COVID-19 patients being treated throughout the state was Oct. 27. Of those currently hospitalized with the virus, 617 are in intensive-care units, according to IDPH figures.

The state also reported 23,653 more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered Saturday. Of those, 2,170 were second doses that fully vaccinated that many more Illinois residents against the virus. Vaccine providers throughout the state are administering an average 27,776 doses of the vaccine each day, based on a seven-day average.

In the Chicago area's five health regions, suburban Cook County's Region 10, Will and Kankakee counties' Region 7 and Chicago's Region 11 are all in Tier 1 mitigation restrictions, which allowed bars and restaurants to open for limited indoor service, as well as restoration of some group recreational activities and larger social gatherings.

However, Region 9 in Lake and McHenry counties and Region 8 in DuPage and Kane counties remain under the harsher Tier 2 restrictions.

In Region 9, the seven-day average test positivity rate there has not been below 8% for three straight days. However, the supply of available ICU beds has remained above the 20% minimum requirement and the average number of COVID-19 patients in the region has been steadily decreasing. If the positivity rate there stays below 8% for two more days, the region could return to Tier 1 on Tuesday, according to the IDPH figures.

In Region 8, a small uptick of COVID-19 patients nearly a week ago is keeping the region from returning to Tier 1, but it is on track to meet the patient metric requirements by Tuesday as well. More than 30% of the region's ICU beds have been available for several days and the average test positivity rate is currently 7.2% and been below the 8% threshold for four straight days.