THE STATE'S TOP PUBLIC HEALTH DOCTOR SAYS IT'S TOO SOON TO TELL IF THE OMICRON VARIANT HAS PEAKED.

CASES HAVE BEEN SURGING IN RECENT WEEKS, HITTING THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC. ILLINOIS PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR DOCTOR NGOZI (en-gahzi) EZIKE (eh-zee-kay) SAYS THERE HAS BEEN A SLIGHT DROP IN CASES THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH OF A TREND TO BREATHE A SIGN OF RELIEF YET.

THE LATEST DAILY TOTALS INCLUDE MORE THAN 37-THOUSAND NEW CASES AND 142 ADDITIONAL DEATHS. HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH OF SEVEN-THOUSAND-380.