Data published by Dr. Ngozi Ezike, chief of the Illinois Dept. of Public Health, reports Covid hospitalizations are down statewide. | Youtube
Data published by Dr. Ngozi Ezike, chief of the Illinois Dept. of Public Health, reports Covid hospitalizations are down statewide. | Youtube
Illinois hospitals are seeing a lower than average number of Covid-19 patients, both in standard and intensive care units (ICUs), according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
IDPH reports tracking daily hospital bed capacity and utilization show that for Aug. 31, Covid-19 total in-patient and ICU counts were 4.2 percent and 4.7 percent below average, respectively.
Averages are derived from IDPH data collected between the period of April 12, 2020 and Aug. 31, 2021 -- the past 507 days.
The agency reported that Illinois' 226 hospitals had 2,242 Covid-19 patients on Aug. 31, or approximately 9.9 patients per hospital versus an average of 10.3.
Illinois hospitals' high number of reported total Covid-19 patients over the period was 6,175 on Nov. 20, 2020, or 27.3 per hospital. The low number of patients was 380 on July 4, 2021, or 1.7 per hospital.
Of the 2,242 Covid-19 patients on Aug. 31, IDPH reports that 512 of them-- or 23 percent-- are in ICUs, or 2.3 per hospital versus an average of 2.4.
Illinois hospitals' high number of reported ICU Covid-19 patients over the period was 1,290 on April 28, 2020, or 5.7 per hospital. The low number of patients was 76 on July 7, 2021, or 0.3 per hospital.
Last week, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said increased hospitalizations for the so-called Covid-19 "Delta Variant" drove him to make face masks mandatory in K-12 schools.
The city of Chicago is demanding all city residents who haven't taken a COVID-19 jab and who travel to any state except Vermont quarantine themselves in their homes for at least a full week upon returning. That's even if they have tested negative for Covid-19.
Illinois Hospitals seeing lower than average number of Covid-19 patients
Illinois Department of Public Health data shows hospitals have fewer patients than has been typical.
| Aug. 31 | vs. Avg | Avg | High | Low | |
| All Hospital beds | |||||
| Statewide bed capacity | 31,833 | -4.2% | 33,163 | 35,220 | 29,994 |
| # of open beds | 6,736 | -57.2% | 10,586 | 15,467 | 6,625 |
| % of open beds | 21% | 32% | 44% | 21% | |
| All Hospital Beds- In Use | 25,097 | 10.0% | 22,577 | 20,472 | 24,128 |
| all non covid patients | 22,855 | 11.4% | 20,241 | 14,297 | 23,748 |
| all covid patients | 2,242 | -4.2% | 2,336 | 6,175 | 380 |
| Covid % of total | 7% | 7% | 19% | 1% | |
| Covid patients per hospital | 9.9 | 10.3 | 27.3 | 1.7 | |
| ICU Hospital beds | |||||
| ICU bed capacity | 3,134 | -11.6% | 3,497 | 3,922 | 2,979 |
| # of open ICU beds | 523 | -106.7% | 1,081 | 1,934 | 457 |
| % of open ICU beds | 17% | 30% | 50% | 15% | |
| ICU Hospital Beds- In Use | 2,611 | 7.5% | 2,416 | 3,711 | 886 |
| all non covid patients | 2,099 | 10.4% | 1,880 | 2,421 | 810 |
| all covid patients | 512 | -4.7% | 536 | 1,290 | 76 |
| Covid % of ICU | 16% | 15% | 42% | 2% | |
| Covid ICU patients per hospital | 2.3 | 2.4 | 5.7 | 0.3 |
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
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