Experts advise rethinking Thanksgiving traditions as COVID-19 cases increase
There were 1,373 new COVID-19 cases Monday and five additional deaths from the respiratory disease, officials announced, as average daily infections and hospitalizations continue to trend up.
The statewide caseload stands at 262,744, with total deaths at 8,314, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported.
The average number of new cases a day in September is 1,980, up about 9% from August's average of 1,812.5 and about 72% higher than July's 1,150 tally.
Patients with the disease in Illinois hospitals was 1,431 as of Sunday night. So far, the average daily number of virus hospitalizations is 1,542 in September, compared to August's daily total of 1,521.
At Edward Hospital in Naperville, some of the COVID-19 admissions involve patients who were exposed to the disease over dinners with relatives, Medical Director of Infection Control and Prevention Jonathan Pinsky said.
"They may be wearing masks but they take off their masks when eating. People don't realize the virus doesn't take a break when you eat," Pinsky said.
Given that, now's a good time to hit the reset button on your traditional Thanksgiving feast with extended family and friends, experts advise.
Sitting unmasked in proximity with people at a table for a lengthy period means "a high risk of transmission," Pinsky said.
"I think there's risk involved having Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends."
Instead, consider finding an activity to do together that doesn't involve eating, or consider seating guests apart from each other, preferably outside, he advised.
The state's seven-day positivity rate for COVID-19 tests is 3.6%. In the last 24 hours, Illinois labs reported 35,930 tests, and the daily positivity rate is 3.8%.
Of the state's 8,314 deaths, 3,720 or 45% are people age 80 and older. The second highest category is Illinoisans age 70 to 79, who comprise 24% of fatalities or 1,998 individuals, according to IDPH data.
The demographic with the fewest deaths are young Illinoisans. Six individuals age 19 and younger have died of the disease, and 34 people ages 20 through 29 have succumbed. Combined, that comes to less than 1%.
Among the deaths announced Monday was a Cook County woman in her 70s.
The test positivity rate for Will and Kankakee counties is inching down from an average of over 8%, which triggered state restrictions including a ban on indoor dining in late August. The region's positive test rate is 7.2% over seven days as of Friday. The restrictions will remain until the counties' positivity rate reaches 6.5% or lower.