BREAKING NEWS: Illinois covid numbers have continued to explode, with more omicron cases being identified in the state, and both Gov. JB Pritkzer and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot talking about more restrictions being put in place, possibly in the next week as omicron ominously looms.

The Illinois Department of Public Health released its latest data today, and as has been the case the past month, the numbers are not good. There are currently 3,513 patients hospitalized due to COVID in the state of Illinois, once again hitting a record as the highest number of patients in a year. In the past two weeks, the number of patients hospitalized in Illinois for COVID-19 has risen by almost 40 percent, causing doctors and nurses to call the situation a “crisis,” as their number of available beds for other emergencies is being seriously compromised by the rampaging covid cases.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, there are 748 covid patients in ICU beds statewide, almost a 50 percent increase over the past two weeks. There are only 375 ICU beds open statewide, just 12 percent of the total beds available.

All of the Illinois health regions have shown rising numbers of covid infections this fall.

In addition, the more contagious omicron variant has now been identified in multiple locations around Chicago, as another patient in Cook County in the Chicago suburbs was identified. The city location of the patient was not given, but the IDPH said that other cases were expected to be identified soon as “there are other cases that are currently being genotyped for omicron.”

In the meantime, as has been hinted at for weeks, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker once again came closer to enacting new statewide restrictions, and gave his blessing to any cities or counties that wanted to do so unilaterally to stop the spread.

“Illinois has some of the most stringent mitigations already,” Pritzker said. “That is wearing masks indoors. That is what the mitigation regime needs to be get vaccinated wear a mask indoors, you know, please socially distance, especially if you don’t know the people that you’re with. I know that people are gathering during this holiday season, just be extra careful.”

Illinois has become a new covid hot spot, along with its surrounding states, new data shows.

In the same question and answer session with media, Pritzker encouraged authorities around the state to “implement more stringent mitigations as they see fit,” and did not rule out more statewide mandates coming from him.

Illinois’ trends for restrictions tend to begin in Chicago, and spread throughout the state, and in the third-largest city in the U.S. its mayor, Lori Lightfoot, admitted that they are looking at more restrictions before the holiday to stop the quickening spread of the virus.

In a press conference, Lightfoot said they haven’t “landed on one particular strategy,” but are looking at a number of options, and said that the restrictions would be “made in a patient and methodical manner.”

“We are looking at a number of different strategies that can help us deal with this latest surge, but we always do that in partnership and in communication with the individuals and the businesses that are going to be affected,” she said. “We don’t unilaterally impose anything.”

According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, there are currently 3,513 patients hospitalized due to COVID in the state of Illinois, the highest number of patients since mid-January.

As reported last week on QuadCities.com, all 11 of the regions has had increased hospitalizations over 9 of the last 10 days, with hospitalizations for the state jumping up over 40 percent in the last two weeks. Region 1, located in northwestern Illinois, is already at a 9.5 percent positivity rate; 8 percent was the previous trigger for shutdown, combined with ICU bed availability below 20 percent. Under the previous metrics, Region 1 would’ve been shut down. Other regions, including Region 7 in the Chicago western suburbs, and Region 5 in southern Illinois, are likewise nearing those metrics.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

Illinois cases are up over 40 percent since the start of December, and officials are finally admitting that they’ve been looking at expanding statewide restrictions.

“We have moved into very high transmission,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner. “While unsurprising, this news should remind Chicagoans of the ongoing threat from COVID-19, especially as families prepare to come together over the holidays.”

For ongoing coverage of this situation, continue to follow QuadCities.com.

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Sean Leary Director of Digital Media

Sean Leary is an author, director, artist, musician, producer and entrepreneur who has been writing professionally since debuting at age 11 in the pages of the Comics Buyers Guide. An honors graduate of the University of Southern California masters program, he has written over 50 books including the best-sellers The Arimathean, Every Number is Lucky to Someone and We Are All Characters.