Officials are issuing safety tips for Thanksgiving as COVID-19 instances in Illinois rise.

 Officials are issuing safety tips for Thanksgiving as COVID-19 instances in Illinois rise.

Thanksgiving safety advice is being provided by officials as COVID-19 cases in Illinois increase. Since November 16, Illinois officials health officials have recorded 14,388 new COVID-19 cases along with 59 more deaths. The measures show a modest uptick, with 48 fatalities and 13,659 new COVID-19 cases reported in the state in the preceding week.

For everyone in indoor public settings, masking is advised at a "high" degree of transmission. The elderly and immunocompromised should wear masks in indoor public spaces and get COVID immunizations and booster injections, if eligible, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for counties in the "medium" risk category.

The only location with a high alert status since November 18 is Winnebago County, according to officials, who also stated that 21 counties are now seeing an increased degree of viral transmission. But COVID-19 isn't the only illness that's becoming worse. RSV and the flu are still causing infections and hospitalizations, according to officials.

Authorities are warning people to be wary of respiratory infections and food-borne illnesses that might spread during holiday parties as Thanksgiving approaches.

Officials advise the public to be tested before attending events, especially if someone present may be at high risk for severe COVID-19, in addition to being completely immunized and boosted for COVID-19 and the flu. Making sure that meetings are properly ventilated is one piece of advice that may significantly reduce the spread of illness and transmission. Staying at home while ill and using proper hand hygiene are two other suggestions.

The Illinois Department of Public Health's most recent statistics shows that since the pandemic started, 3,858,155 different coronavirus cases have been reported in the state. With the latest deaths, Illinois has now seen 35,414 verified COVID fatalities.

The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate in Illinois is 113 COVID cases per 100,000 inhabitants, up slightly from the 107 cases per 100,000 residents recorded a week earlier, according to IDPH.

As of Tuesday night, 1,112 individuals have been admitted to hospitals across the state as a result of COVID, up from 1,070 patients the previous week. 41 of the patients at this time are on ventilators, while 112 are in ICU beds.

Since immunizations started in Illinois in December 2020, 25,244,887 vaccine doses have been administered. More than 78% of Illinois citizens have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and more than 70% are completely immunized. Over 14% of people have already received their bivalent booster shots.

The CDC also provided advice on how to practice food safety, advising individuals who handle food to wash their hands as well as all kitchenware, including cutting boards and counters, to avoid cross-contamination. The CDC advised against storing food at room temperature for more than two hours.