UPDATED: With Illinois covid-19 infections, hospitalizations and average numbers dropping to new lows across the board, state residents are calling for an end to the statewide mask mandate and other restrictions, with some protesting and suing to end them — particularly in schools. The latest numbers from the Illinois Department of Public Health continue the trend over the past week of showing dipping cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, seeming to confirm what some officials have said, that the omicron surge has passed. “Over the last two years, I’ve said over and over that you don’t... Read More

As Illinois covid numbers plummet to new lows across the board, state residents are calling for an end to the statewide mask mandate and other restrictions, with some protesting and suing to end them — particularly in schools. The latest numbers from the Illinois Department of Public Health continue the trend over the past week of showing dipping cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, seeming to confirm what some officials have said, that the omicron surge has passed. There are 5,238 people are hospitalized with covid statewide, the lowest number since December 27, according to IDPH numbers... Read More

Genesis Health System has released its latest covid numbers for cases and hospitalizations in and around the Quad-Cities. The numbers are as follows: Genesis Medical Centers have 62 COVID-19 hospital patients today (Monday) Jan. 24 *   Davenport @ 44 POS Silvis @ 16 POS DeWitt @ 0 POS JCRC   @ 1 POS Aledo  @ 1 POS TOTAL @ 62 COVID PATIENTS IN ICU Davenport @ 9 Silvis @ 5 TOTAL @ 14 AGE RANGE OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS 0-19 = 2 20-29 = 1 30-39 = 4 40-49 = 2 50-59 = 7 60-69 = 11 70-79 = 18 80+ = 17 TOTAL = 62 Symptomatic 7-day positive rate = 39.42%  Read More

Illinois covid numbers slid down heavily, but officials say restrictions will still remain and the mask mandate is staying in place, prompting some Illinois residents to wonder when the restrictions will finally be lifted. On the side of good news, the number of cases, hospitalizations, and fatalities is continuing to move downwards, although to put things into perspective, the numbers remain high overall. Illinois Department of Public Health reported 9,462 new COVID cases — down heavily from last week’s averages over 20,000 a day — and 81 related deaths Monday. The seven-day... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid numbers appear to have peaked and are on the decline, Gov. JB Pritzker and other officials are saying the state’s numbers are headed in the right direction, and some are speculating on when all the restrictions — from the mask mandate to vaccine and test proof to enter businesses — are going to finally be lifted. Some are wondering if Pritzker will soon be lifting the mask mandate or pushing for the lifting of any of the other mandates regionally applied in the state, including the proof of vaccination or test restriction imposed by Chicago and Cook... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid numbers, while still high, are on the decline, prompting speculation as to whether the statewide mask mandate could be removed in the coming months if numbers continue to fall. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, there were 20,483 new confirmed and probable cases of covid-19 reported in the last 24 hours statewide, with 36 new deaths. The state is averaging 27,795 new cases of covid per day, a 14.4 percent reduction from the high of 32,501 daily cases on Jan. 12, according to IDPH data. The state’s positivity rate on all tests currently stands... Read More

NOTE: The plan outlined below contains essential, detailed information that all faculty, staff and students must know before returning to WIU, and upon their return to WIU’s Macomb and Quad Cities campuses. Please take time to read through this document carefully to become familiar with all requirements and protocols in order to comply. Visit wiu.edu/coronavirus for more information, including FAQs. MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — As Western Illinois University plans to resume the traditional in-person experience beginning Jan. 18, 2022, to help ensure the health and safety of the members of University... Read More

Illinois set a new record for covid hospitalizations, with 7,353 Illinois hospital patients infected with the virus and 1,152 in intensive care unit beds, according to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. In addition, the cases per day set a new record with 32,173 per day over the past week, and school closings continued to rise this week as districts around the state went to remote learning and Chicago’s teachers remained out of classrooms. The IDPH reported 28,110 new confirmed and probable cases of covid over the last 24 hours, an increase from the previous day.... Read More

The latest covid-19 numbers in Illinois remain overwhelmingly high, but have scaled down a bit from record highs last week. However, in response to the general rapid rise in cases, more schools statewide are continuing to go to remote learning. The new numbers released today by the Illinois Department of Public Health showed 19,237 cases on Monday, the lowest number since Jan. 2. The state is now averaging 31,647 new cases per day, the first time the number has gone down since Dec. 27. The IDPH also reported 34 deaths in the last 24 hours, a statewide positivity rate of 13.4 percent on all tests... Read More

Quad-Cities covid numbers continue to skyrocket, as Genesis Health Systems reports its latest numbers, and logs a record high for a month. December 2021 was the highest month over the past year, and the second-highest month overall for COVID-19 hospital admissions since the start of the pandemic. In December 356 patients were admitted with COVID-19. The highest number of admissions was Nov. 2020 with 501. Since the start of the pandemic, 3,060 patients have been hospitalized with COVID-19 at Genesis Medical Centers. Hundreds more have been treated as outpatients. Testing site (Lombard Street... Read More