Naperville-area COVID-19 cases and hospitalization counts at Edward Hospital have plunged from record January peaks, local and hospital data show.
As of Friday, 1,662 cases were reported in Naperville over the last two weeks, down 66% from the peak of 4,867 on Jan. 12, according to the city’s COVID-19 dashboard. It is also 1,068 fewer cases than one week earlier.
Edward Hospital reported 49 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 Friday morning, 60% less than the record 123 hospitalized the morning of Jan. 13. It is 19 fewer patients than the same point on Jan. 28.
Case and hospitalization counts remain higher than at most points in the pandemic, but Dr. Jonathan Pinsky, Edward’s infection control and prevention medical director, is encouraged with improving conditions.
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“It’s good news for everyone. Now the hospital can focus on doing (surgeries and services) that are not COVID,” he said.
Weekly COVID-19 admissions have dropped at the Naperville hospital, with 56 admitted the week ending Jan. 29, Pinsky said. One week earlier, 88 were admitted. At its peak, 163 were admitted the week ending Jan. 8.
Pinsky said the reduction in people clustering together like with end-of-year holiday gatherings means there is less opportunity for the highly transmissible omicron variant to spread and infect.
“It has to do with the virus kind of running out of new people to infect,” Pinsky said.
The sharp decline is being reported across the entire Edward-Elmhurst system. The combined Friday morning count of 84 patients at Edward and Elmhurst hospitals is the lowest since Dec. 10; the two hospitals reported a combined record of 218 patients on Jan. 5.
As of Friday, 216 have died from COVID-19 at Edward.
“The patients who are the most severely ill are largely unvaccinated. The few patients we’ve seen that are vaccinated, they either haven’t gotten the booster yet or are immuno-compromised,” he said.
Edward has resumed elective surgeries as bed space expands to non-COVID patients, said Pinsky. The hospital was using its third-, fourth-, fifth-floor and orthopedic unit for COVID patients, but it’s now shifted COVID patients to only the fourth and fifth floors.
Vaccination continues to be the best tool to fight infection and any future COVID-19 infection surges, Pinsky said.
Locally, the full vaccination rate in the Naperville zip codes ranges from 67% to 89%. According to Illinois Department of Public Health data, 41% and 27% of children 5-11 are fully vaccinated in DuPage and Will, respectively. Among children 12-17, 73% and 61% are fully vaccinated in DuPage and Will, respectively.
Local efforts continue to vaccinate or boost individuals. The Mall of India, 776 Route 59, is hosting vaccine clinics Feb. 5 and 12 for walk-ins and those who register ahead of time. Each clinic will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; first, second, or booster Pfizer or Moderna shots will be available for those 5 and older.
“People who are eligible for boosters who haven’t had it, please get it,” Pinsky said.
There were 12,992 COVID-19 cases reported in DuPage County over the last two weeks as of Friday, down from a peak of 29,833 on Jan. 13. And 6,960 cases were reported in Will over the last two weeks as of Friday, down from a peak of 21,449 on Jan. 16.