(Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
The threat of COVID-19 eased across Chicago and Cook County Thursday, as federal officials moved the warning level to “low” after more than a month at “medium,” according to Centers for Disease Control data.
Chicago and Cook County last faced a low risk of COVID-19 on May 5. The region has bounced between a medium risk and a high risk all summer.
The lower risk level means public health officials will no longer recommend that residents wear masks indoors and on public transportation. However, Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, has urged all Chicagoans to reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19 by ensuring they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.
During the past seven days, new hospitalizations each day in Chicago from COVID-19 dropped by 22%, according to city data.
Cook County now has 116 confirmed cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents, and hospitalizations have dropped slightly across the Chicagoland region prompting federal officials to lower the risk level.
Cook County now has 9.6 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 residents during a seven-day period, according to data released by the CDC. Last week, Cook County had 10.7 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 residents during a seven-day period, according to the CDC.
Residents of regions face a low risk of COVID-19 if there is a case rate of less than 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents and fewer than 10 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 residents.
According to the CDC, 3.8% of staffed hospital beds in Cook County are in use by COVID-19 patients on average during the past seven days.
The city of Chicago has 7.1 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 during a seven-day period and a case rate of 102 confirmed cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents, according to Chicago Department of Public Health data released Thursday.
In Chicago, 3.8% of staffed hospital beds are in use by COVID-19 patients, according to CDPH data released Tuesday. If 10% of staffed hospital beds in Cook County are in use by COVID-19 patients on average during the past seven days, the risk level would rise, according to the CDC.
Federal health officials measure the strain facing hospitals from COVID-19 by the number of new hospital admissions per 100,000 residents during a seven-day period and the percent of staffed hospital beds in use by COVID-19 patients on average during the past seven days.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
