Spike In Will-Kankee Coronavirus Positivity, Hospitalizations

WILL COUNTY, IL — The Will-Kankakee region is once again seeing a rise in coronavirus positivity as well as in hospital admissions due to COVID-19, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. As of Wednesday, Region 7 has six consecutive days of positivity increase and five days of hospital admission increase.

Coronavirus positivity for the region is currently 6.3 percent, which has increased from 5.4 percent over the last 10 days. Hospital admissions have increased from 6 to 13 during the same time period.

Any region that sustains an 8 percent positivity rate for three days in a row or sees an increase in positivity rates and simultaneous decrease in hospital capacity will need to implement additional community mitigation interventions, the IDPH website states.

Just Will County has a 7-day rolling average positivity rate of 6.4 percent as of Sunday. This number has also increased from 5.5 percent 10 days prior.

Currently, Region 7 has 30 percent medical beds and 32 percent ICU beds available. This will reach warning level if they fall below 20 percent. The region is using 71 percent of its ICUs and 45 percent of all the available ventilators. As per IDPH data, the Will-Kankakee region has the lowest number of ICU beds and ventilators available among the other regions in the state.