The Illinois Department of Health (IDPH) reported on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, that there were 69 new coronavirus-related deaths in Illinois — the biggest increase since mid-June 2020.
According to the IDPH, the 69 deaths reported Wednesday involved mostly individuals who were 70 years of age and older, although Cook County reported four people in their 60s had died. Will County reported a female in her 50s had died; and DuPage County reported a male in his 30s and a female in her 40s had died. McHenry County, which reported an extraordinarily high positivity rate of 19.5% on October 17, 2020 and 9.8% on October 18, 2020, reported no deaths.
Deaths Reported
Christian County: 1 female 80s
Clark County: 1 male 90s
Clay County: 1 male 80s
Clinton County: 1 male 80s
Cook County: 2 females 60s, 2 males 60s, 2 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 2 males 90s
DuPage County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 40s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
Fayette County: 1 male 80s
Ford County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
Franklin County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Fulton County: 1 male 90s
Hancock County: 1 male 60s
Jackson County: 1 male 70s
Kane County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 80s
Kendall County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Knox County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
Lake County: 1 female 70s
Macon County:1 female 90s
Madison County: 1 male 80s
Marion County: 2 males 70s, 1 male 80s
McDonough County: 1 female 80s
Peoria County: 1 female 40s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
Richland County: 1 male 80s
Saline County: 2 females 80s
Sangamon County: 1 male 80s
Shelby County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s
St. Clair County: 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Vermilion County: 1 female 70s
Whiteside County: 2 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Will County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 80s
Williamson County: 1 female 90s
Winnebago County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 female 100+
Woodford County: 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
The daily death count in Illinois related to the Coronavirus COVID-19 had not passed 60 since late June 2020. The total of 69 reported Wednesday, October 21, 2020 is the highest since 87 deaths were reported on June 17, 2020.
For periods of seven days, the daily average of deaths has climbed since early October to about 39 as of Wednesday, October 21, 2020 — also a level near reports from June 2020.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks Illinois as fourth in the country with 265 deaths over the past seven days, and 13th in the country when population is taken into account. The Illinois data is less severe than bordering states of Indiana, Iowa and Missouri. However, the potential for a spike with the higher population in Illinois, puts Illinois on watch.
In suburban Cook County (Region 10), including Arlington Heights, the positivity rate was 8.5% on October 18, 2020 with a Test Positivity 7-Day Rolling Average of 7.2%.
DuPage, and Kane counties (Region 8), Kankakee and Will counties (Region 7) face a ban on indoor service at restaurants and bars as well as other restrictions beginning Friday, October 23, 2020 to attempt to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19 illnesses.
The four counties face the mitigation because Region 7 and Region 8 surpassed an 8% positivity rate for COVID-19 tests for three consecutive days, which triggers temporary mitigations. The mitigations include closing bars and restaurants at 11 p.m. and limiting gatherings to 25 people or less or 25% of capacity to reduce virus infections.
“Regional trends are still moving in the wrong direction.”
— Governor JB Pritzker
Every IDPH region in Illinois plan has experienced a steady climb of test positivity rates in recent weeks.
Pritzker reminded the public of the importance of the guidance of health officials:
wear a mask,
maintain social distance,
wash hands, and
get a flu shot.
Illinois health officials on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 also released plans for distributing a COVID-19 vaccine of or when a vaccine becomes available.
Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor