Illinois COVID 19 update today: IL reports 7,873 new coronavirus cases, 108 deaths

CHICAGO (WLS) – Illinois public health officials reported 7,873 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 as well as 108 deaths on Saturday.

WATCH: Lower positivity rate in Illinois could be a sign that mitigation is working, says Pritzker

The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 712,936, with a total of 12,137 deaths.

Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 79,055 specimens. A total of 10,368,278 samples have been tested since the start of the pandemic in Illinois.

The state-wide seven-day pre-test positivity from Nov. 21 to 27 is 12.2%.

As of Friday night, 5,775 people in Illinois were reportedly hospitalized for COVID-19. Of these, 1,211 patients were in intensive care with COVID-19 and 686 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

WATCH: Officials urge virtual Thanksgiving celebrations to prevent spread of virus

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is recovering at his home after testing positive for COVID-19, according to a press release from his office.

Dart last worked on Nov. 19 and received confirmation that he tested positive for the virus on Nov. 24, the statement said.

RELATED: Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart Tests Positive for Coronavirus, Recovering at Home

Officials in Illinois and across the country have pleaded with Americans to limit travel during the Thanksgiving holiday to help prevent the growing coronavirus epidemic from spreading further and faster.

But millions of people ignored the warnings and left their homes this week. Experts fear this could translate into even more infections and deaths in the weeks to come, at a time when colder weather is forcing people inside and closer.

After a calm summer that lulled some into complacency, the virus returned aggressively in October. Illinois marked its 11,000th death on Nov. 18, after recording 1,000 deaths in just 13 days, then climbing 1,000 in nine days to 12,000.

This matches the numbers for the pandemic’s spring nadir, when deaths dropped from 2,000 to 4,000 in 17 days, from April 29 to May 15.

Likewise, the spread of infection has not slowed down. It took 17 days for the number of confirmed cases to rise from 500,000 to 700,000. Since March 5, which marks the start of the period in which new cases are reported each day, 159 days have passed. that the 200,000th case is not recorded on August 13.

The state doubled that number, reaching 400,000 after 77 days and climbing to 600,000 in 19 days.

RELATED: Where To Find COVID-19 Tests in the Chicago Area

Tests for the virus are much more available now than in the spring. The 77,000 test results recorded on Friday were the first day in nearly three weeks that the total fell below 90,000, a period in which the results have averaged over 100,000 per day.

But state health officials have argued that the increase in testing can hardly explain the exponential growth in cases.

The difficult fall has stretched the capacity of hospitals and, more importantly, health workers are running out as there is no borrowing from other states as last spring. The Belleville News-Democrat reported on Friday that 87% of staffed hospital beds in the eastern metropolitan area – the suburb of St. Louis, Illinois – were full.

The number of people hospitalized in Illinois fell below 6,000 for the first time since Nov. 18, but those who remain are sicker. The 1,215 patients in the intensive care units represented a 6% increase over those nine days. The most seriously ill – those who need respiratory assistance to breathe – fell to 698 on Friday, but that was a 28% increase from November 18.

But people who have suffered from COVID-19 have a valuable weapon for those fighting the coronavirus now: antibodies. The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that the Central Illinois Community Blood Center collects plasma from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients.

The surge in the fall of the virus has driven up demand. Memorial Health System says nearly a third of patients at its five central Illinois hospitals have COVID-19.

The coronavirus has silenced traditional holiday cheering at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield. There will be no Christmas tree or holiday poster inside or outside the building

The Capitol for months was closed to everyone except employees and other authorized persons. Visits were suspended months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lights of the Capitol dome will not be used for the second year in a row. Engineers recommended that an observation deck, used to anchor the fires, be fortified.

A giant artificial tree is usually placed in the rotunda. Not this year

Deaths reported on Saturday include:
– Bureau County: 1 woman from the 80s
– Cook County: 1 woman 30 years old, 3 women 40 years old, 2 men 40 years old, 3 men 50 years old, 6 women 60 years old, 9 men 60 years old, 10 women 70 years old, 10 men 70 years old, 12 women 80 years old, 11 men 80s, 5 women 90s, 3 men 90s

– County of DuPage: 1 man 50 years old, 1 woman 60 years old, 2 men 70 years old, 1 man 80 years old, 2 men 90 years old
– Greene County: 1 woman from the 1960s
– County Knox: 1 male from the 1970s
– Lake County: 1 man from the 1970s, 1 man from the 1980s
– Macoupin County: 1 man from the 1970s
– Madison County: 2 women from the 60s, 1 woman from the 70s, 1 woman from the 80s, 2 women from the 90s, 2 men from the 90s
– County of Ogle: 1 woman from the 90s
– Peoria County: 1 woman from the 1970s, 1 woman from the 1980s
– County of St. Clair: 1 man from the 90s
– County of Stephenson: 1 man from the 1960s
– Whiteside County: 2 men from the 60s, 1 woman from the 80s, 1 woman from the 90s
– County of Will: 1 female 40, 1 female 70
– Williamson County: 1 man from the 80s

The Associated Press contributed to this report.