Illinois surpasses 200,000 COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations spike
Illinois passed another grim milestone as state health officials announced more than 200,000 Illinois residents have now been infected with COVID-19.
Additionally, hospitalizations from the respiratory disease throughout the state spiked by 103 with 1,628 people now being treated statewide, state officials said Thursday. That's the highest level of COVID-19 hospitalizations since June 22, according to Illinois Department of Public Health records. Of those hospitalized, 383 are in intensive care beds.
Over the past two days, hospitals across the state have added 169 new COVID-19 patients, according to IDPH figures.
Hospitals are reporting COVID-19 patients are taking up 10.1% of all the state's ICU beds, the highest level since June 29.
The state's death toll also rose by 24 Thursday and 1,834 more infections were announced. That puts the state's death toll at 7,696 since the outbreak began with 200,427 residents who have become infected.
The state's seven-day average positivity rate dipped slightly to 4% Thursday after spending much of the past week at 4.1%. The day's new cases came from a batch of 46,006 test results. The state has performed more than 3.2 million tests since the outbreak began.
Health officials are also reporting 95% of those who have contracted COVID-19 have recovered from the disease.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker urged residents to continue practicing safety measures by wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining social distancing and avoiding large crowds.
Pritzker was in Urbana and Bloomington Thursday promoting the awarding of $46 million in grants to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, nearly 2,650 businesses in 78 of the state's 102 counties received the grants totaling either $10,000 or $20,000. The businesses had to earn less than $3 million annually to qualify for the Business Interruption Grants. More than 5,000 businesses applied for funds the state received from the federal government through the CARES Act.
More than half of the recipients were minority-owned businesses, DCEO officials noted.
"The initial focus of these grants has been on businesses that have been most severely impacted by COVID-19 - those that were completely shut down in the spring and those that are in COVID-impacted areas that experienced property damage amid the looting and civil unrest in June," Pritzker said.
Among the recipients, 1,578 small businesses in Cook County collectively received $27.5 million. In DuPage County, 121 businesses received a combined $2 million. Kane County saw 75 small businesses receive $1.25 million. In Lake County, 133 small businesses took in more than $2.2 million. McHenry County had 31 businesses approved for grants totaling $490,000. In Will County, 72 small businesses received $1.17 million combined.
"I've been in this business for 16 years and my goal has always been to help up and coming stylists be successful in their own careers," said Stephanie Cowan, owner of Heavenly Enhanced Salon in Gurnee. "With fewer clients coming in the doors, COVID-19 has definitely placed an impact on our stylists who depend on their job to provide for their families."
The state is planning a second round of grant funding intended to assist businesses that are still largely shut down due to the pandemic, like performing arts centers, live concert venues, movie theaters and indoor recreational spaces.