Illinois' COVID-19 infection rate declines again
The COVID-19 test positivity rate in Illinois has dropped to 3%, the state health department announced Saturday.
The department announced 673 new confirmed cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus and 29 additional deaths.
The deaths include 12 people in Cook County, all over 50; one in DuPage County; two in Kane County; one in Lake County; and two in Will County.
In the past 24 hours, laboratories reported on 21,844 test specimens. Overall, almost 1.7 million tests have been done. The department says there have been 131,871 cases, with 6,289 deaths, in all but one county.
The seven-day rolling average of positive tests dropped from 3.6% to 3%.
All parts of Illinois remained in Phase 3 status in the Restore Illinois plan.
According to the statistical dashboard for the plan, the seven-day rolling averages for the six metrics considered are all in the range for acceptability for Phase 4, which calls for allowing groups of up to 50 people to meet, and reopening, with capacity limits, of swimming pools, restaurants, theaters, health clubs and other venues. But the Restore Illinois plan calls for 28 days between phase changes, so the earliest Phase 4 could be enacted is June 26.