Illinois sets single-day vaccine record, reports 32 deaths

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The 130,021 COVID-19 vaccinations administered Wednesday set a record for the state, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Thursday.

Heath officials made the boost as they reported 1,884 new cases of the coronavirus and 32 new deaths.

The number of shots Wednesday shattered Illinois’ previous high of 95,375 inoculations given Feb. 11. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement he expects six-figure vaccination days to become the norm as pharmaceutical companies bolster production and states receive larger shipments.

Pritzker’s expansion of the Phase 1B rollout took effect Thursday. It allows people 16 and older with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes, to register for a shot.

About 2.4 million vaccines have been administered statewide, but only 671,717 people have received both required doses.

The health department is reporting about 1.18 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, with 20,406 deaths,

Laboratories on Wednesday conducted 91,292 COVID-19 tests, resulting in a positivity rate of 2.5%, according to public health officials.

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