The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported 2,851 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 29 additional confirmed deaths. “More than 9,000 Illinoisans — our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, family, friends, and neighbors — have had their lives cut short by COVID-19, leaving tens of thousands more to grieve loved ones lost too soon,” said Governor JB Pritzker.  “As we pause today to mourn these individual and collective losses, may we find strength in the tools we have to protect our communities: wearing a mask, watching our distance, and respecting public health and each other.  My heart breaks for all those who have lost a loved one in this battle we never asked to fight – may their memories be for a blessing.”

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 324,743 cases, including 9,026 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.  The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from October 6 – October 12 is 4.5 percent. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 55,993 specimens for a total of 6,411,254.  As of last night, 1,848 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19.  Of those, 406 patients were in the ICU and 160 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.   For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.