CHICAGO — In what’s become an unwelcome tradition over the past two years, coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have been on the rise again in Illinois amid the holiday season.
This year, the increase in COVID-19 has been accompanied by surging cases of flu and other respiratory viruses. The developments have prompted public health officials to urge greater caution during upcoming celebrations, reiterating the familiar refrain of masking, testing and staying up to date on vaccinations.
Over the past week, Illinois saw the number of counties at the highest risk level for COVID-19 increase to 29 from 12, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While all those counties are outside the Chicago region, Cook County and the collar counties are at the CDC’s medium community level, where older people and those with compromised immune systems are advised to wear masks indoors while in public.
