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COVID-19 In Illinois: State Sets New Record For Vaccinations; Infection Rate At Lowest Point Since Last Summer

CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than 95,000 coronavirus vaccines were administered in Illinois on Thursday, the most shots given in a single day so far, as the state's infection rate fell to a point not seen in seven months.

The 95,375 inoculations given out on Thursday beat the previous record of 74,965 doses on Feb. 4. Since that time, the number of vaccination sites operating in Illinois has more than doubled, with more than 850 now open to the public, most of them retail pharmacy locations.

So far, Illinois has received a total of 2,385,625 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and has administered 1,644,483 statewide. The state is averaging 59,009 vaccinations per day over the past week. A total of 374,722 people in Illinois have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 2.94% of the state's population.

Meantime, the Illinois Department of Public on Friday reported 2,598 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 statewide, as well as 32 new deaths. Since the start of the pandemic, the state has reported a total of 1,158,431 cases, including 19,873 deaths.

The statewide seven-day average case positivity rate is down to 3.1%. That's the lowest average infection rate the state has seen since July 21.

As of Thursday night, 1,915 virus patients were being treated in Illinois hospitals, including 437 in the ICU and 211 on ventilators. That's the fewest statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations since Oct. 12, and about half of the number of virus patients who were hospitalized in Illinois a month ago.
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