Highest-Ever Coronavirus Hospitalizations In Will-Kankakee

WILL COUNTY, IL — Coronavirus hospitalizations and positivity in Will and Kankakee counties have continued to increase two weeks after Gov. J.B. Pritzker imposed restrictions on the region. As of Monday, Region 7 has a positivity rate of 16.4 percent and this has increased for 10 consecutive days, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data.

Hospitalizations in the region have also continued to increase for the past seven days and is currently at its highest since health officials started reporting the numbers in June.

During his press conference Monday, Pritzker announced that Region 7 will now see added mitigations starting Wednesday. Tier 2 mitigations will be imposed on these counties as they are seeing a test positivity rate that remains above 8 percent and continues to rise after more than 14 days under Tier 1 mitigations.

"The virus is winning the war right now," Pritzker said. "The situation has worsened considerably in some areas of the state."

According to Tier 2 of IDPH's mitigation plan, additional restrictions at bars and restaurants would limit party sizes to six people instead of 10. Gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, would be limited to 10 people, though that does not apply to students learning in person or to sports.

Groups participating in organized recreational activities will also be limited to 10 people, but that restriction does not apply to fitness centers, according to the IDPH's plan. These however do not apply to schools.

According to the health department, data as of Nov. 5 shows that Joliet is the Will County town with the most new cases for the week of Oct. 26, followed by Plainfield and Bolingbrook.