COVID-19 Cases In Illinois Rising Heading Into Fall: IDPH

ILLINOIS — State health officials are warning of an uptick in COVID-19 cases this month after using wastewater samples from around Illinois to monitor the number of positive cases being reported.

Although all of Illinois’ 102 counties have remained at low levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported “moderate” COVID-19 activity, according to the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System. The system is designed to monitor for levels of COVID-19, flu, and RSV viruses in wastewater at 79 locations across Illinois, according to a news release.

Flu and RSV activity remains low in the wastewater across all regions, officials said last week. The state health department says it is continuing to closely watch COVID-19 data and also monitoring other respiratory viruses, particularly flu and RSV, ahead of the fall and winter seasons.

“Although hospitalization rates and deaths from COVID-19 remain low, it is important for our residents to know that we are seeing rising COVID-19 activity across Illinois,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in the news release. “We are fortunate the vast majority of Illinoisians have received immunity from a COVID-19 vaccine or previous infection that protects them against severe disease.”

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention is expected to issue guidance in September about the newly developed COVID-19 boosters for fall.