Elmhurst Hospital's Virus Caseload Plunges

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst Hospital's coronavirus caseload dropped by nearly half in the last week. As of Monday, the hospital had 17 patients being treated for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, down from 33 a week earlier, according to a hospital update. For much of the pandemic, the number hovered around 60.

In the last week, the hospital reported six more deaths as a result of the coronavirus. That brings the total so far to 59.

Since March 24, 381 patients have been discharged from Elmhurst Hospital following treatment for confirmed cases of COVID-19. Elmhurst's patient base covers an area far greater than Elmhurst itself.

As of Sunday, Elmhurst's number of coronavirus cases edged up 7 percent to 260, up from 242 a week earlier, according to figures from the DuPage County Health Department. The previous two weeks' rates of increase were 12 percent and 6 percent.

Here is the growth in the number of coronavirus cases in Elmhurst:

As of Sunday, Elmhurst had 5.6 coronavirus cases per thousand people. That compares to 3.3 in Western Springs, 5.4 in Clarendon Hills, 5.8 in Darien, 5.9 in La Grange Park, 8.6 in Burr Ridge, 9.1 in DuPage County, 10.3 in Hinsdale. 12.1 in La Grange and 13.5 in suburban Cook County.

In DuPage County, Addison is leading the pack with 793 cases, or 21.7 per thousand, according to the health department. West Chicago follows with 746 cases, or 25.9 per thousand.

As of Sunday, Illinois' coronavirus case count increased to 132,543, up 4 percent from a week earlier. The coronavirus has claimed the lives of 6,308 state residents.

Nationally, 2.2 million people have caught the virus and 117,859 have died from it.