SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Numbers released by the Illinois Department of Public Health show the COVID-19 infection rate in Illinois is improving for the first time in weeks.
The department on Tuesday reported 2,587 new coronavirus cases from among 62,406 tests administered for a positivity rate of 3.8%. It is the first time the positivity rate has fallen below 4% since April 6.
Hospitals across Illinois are still feeling the effects of the uptick of COVID-19 cases. Victims of virus took up 2,288 beds statewide Monday night, the highest number of admissions since the first week of February.
The nine deaths reported Tuesday brings the number of Illinoisan killed by COVID-19 to 21,694. More than 1.3 million residents have tested positive.