Despite less testing, new COVID-19 cases continue to rise
The 10 state-run COVID-19 testing sites averaged nearly 1,200 fewer tests a day over the past week compared to the week prior.
But new cases continue to rise despite the reduction of testing.
From Dec. 16-20, an average 5,380 tests were administered each day at the state-run sites throughout the state. Over the next week, those sites averaged 4,204 tests a day, even discounting Christmas when all testing locations were closed, according to Illinois Department of Public Health figures.
By Wednesday, the state was averaging just 69,992 test results a day from all testing sites statewide over the past week. A week earlier, the statewide seven-day average was 90,398 test results a day, 22% more.
State health officials believe the holidays played a significant role in the decrease in testing. Other health experts point to less public concern about being infected, since the likelihood has been reduced significantly over the past month. Fewer people are being exposed to an infected person, decreasing the desire to be tested, they said.
While Wednesday's statewide seven-day average case positivity rate of 7.6% was higher than it's been in 11 days, it's almost half where it was in mid-November.
"Things are heading the right way right now," said Dr. Allison Arwady, head of Chicago's public health department.
However, Arwady warned that it could be weeks before the state sees potential effects from holiday gatherings. She urged people to stay home for New Year's celebrations.
The state saw more new cases of the virus Wednesday than it has in almost two weeks.
IDPH reported Wednesday 7,374 new cases of the respiratory disease from a batch of 74,573 test results, a daily case positivity rate of 9.9%. For comparison, the state reported almost the same amount of new cases on Dec. 18, but those were from a batch of 112,292 tests results, for a single-day case positivity rate of just 6.6%.
The state also announced 178 more deaths from COVID-19 Wednesday. That's the most in a single day since Dec. 18 as well, according to IDPH records.
However, because of the recent holidays that preceded the weekend, many county coroner offices were closed for an extended period. It's unclear how many of the deaths reported Wednesday were lagging from previous days.
With Wednesday's new figures, the state's death toll stands at 16,357, with 955,380 Illinois residents infected since the outset of the pandemic.
IDPH officials also reported 4,244 patients were being treated for COVID-19 infections in the state's hospitals Tuesday, a decline of nearly 70 from Monday. Of those hospitalized, 882 are being treated in intensive-care units.
The state's free testing sites are located in the suburbs at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, at 2450 N. Farnsworth Road in Aurora, and 102 W. Water St. in Waukegan. Most county health departments also operate large-scale, free testing facilities. For a list of all types of testing sites throughout the suburbs and the rest of the state, visit dph.illinois.gov/testing.