SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WREX) � The state of Illinois continues to see COVID-19 hospitalizations rise.
As of last night, 2,028 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Of those, 466 patients were in the ICU and 185 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
On March 16, 1,143 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state, according to IDPH.
Hospitalizations are staying steady in Region 5, which includes most of southern Illinois. Currently, there are 19 people hospitalized with the virus in Region 5. Hospital bed availability is also steadily over 20% capacity.
Last week, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, spoke on the increase of hospitalizations across the state and says the vast majority of hospitalizations are those who are not vaccinated.
"Since this January, of the more than 2.5 million people who are fully vaccinated, we see that only 72 were hospitalized with COVID-19," Dr. Ezike said during a news conference last Thursday. "The overwhelming majority of COVID hospitalizations are in people who have not been vaccinated."
The state also reported 3,193 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus on Tuesday along with 17 more deaths. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,285,398 cases and 21,540 deaths
The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from April 6-12, 2021 is 5.0%.
A total of 7,344,112 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight.
