BRADLEY – Over 100 new cases were reported Monday by Kankakee County Health Department officials as COVID-19 cases continue to surge across Illinois.
Monday, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced the rolling seven-day positivity level for the state had risen to 6.3%, reporting 4,729 newly confirmed cases of the virus in the state.
In total, 114 new cases were reported Monday since Saturday, with 44 cases Saturday, 24 cases Sunday, and 46 newly confirmed cases reported Monday afternoon by local officials. Cases ranging in ages 40-59 years old made up 34% of all new cases, with nearly a quarter of all new cases were reported among individuals in their 20s.
It comes as the State of Illinois finds itself at war with business owners and local politicians in an effort to enforce mitigation tactics across the State. Governor J.B. Pritzker said Monday state officials know where there are scofflaws and has asked Illinois’ 1,900 State Troopers to patrol those areas.
“It’s hard to get your license back once you lose it,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday, speaking of removing licenses from local businesses who refuse to comply with Regional mitigation orders. “I think we all want to be supportive of businesses, but we also want them to follow the rules.”
Several Kankakee and Will county bars and restaurants made it known through social media they would not be compliant with regional mitigation efforts, as did some local politicians.
Region 7, including Will County, remained at a 9.3% rolling positivity rating for the third day in a row Monday. Kankakee’s rolling weekly rate dropped to 7.2% Monday, while Will County’s rating increased to 9.8%.
Monday afternoon, 31 local residents were hospitalized due to conditions brought on by contraction of the pandemic, with 576 active cases now in Kankakee County. Monday afternoon, Region 7 reported the second fewest available ICU beds in Illinois with 49 of 174 available.
Since March, 3,481 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in Kankakee County, resulting in a fatality percentage of just over 2%.
