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The Illinois Department of Public Health reports 6,294 were hospitalized with Covid-related illness as of yesterday, the highest number of hospitalizations since the pandemic began.   

Covid patients now occupy 25% of all in-use hospital beds in Illinois and account for 41% of patients in intensive care statewide.

The surge in hospitalizations comes as the number of confirmed daily Covid-19 cases also reaches a pandemic peak.  Approximately 90% of the patients hospitalized with Covid in recent weeks are not fully vaccinated, according to an IDPH spokesperson. 

Will and Kankakee Counties continue to report 95% of ICU beds are occupied, suburban Cook County is at 90%.    The strain on hospitals comes as the total number of intensive care beds in Illinois have declined in recent months due to staffing and other issues.

According to Illinois health officials, 85 percent of patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 are not fully vaccinated.

Also Monday, IDPH is reporting a daily average of 23,069 new Covid cases and an average 59 Covid-related deaths per day.