On the day Illinois moved to the next-to-last phase of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 reopening plan, officials reported the latest seven-day positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 2.5%, the lowest since March 23.

The declining positivity rate is one of many factors that prompted the state to expand capacity limits as part of the move to the bridge phase of Pritzker’s plan.

Officials on Friday reported 1,841 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 resulting from 83,624 tests. As of Thursday night, 1,708 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 425 patients in intensive care units and 237 patients on ventilators.

The seven-day average of total hospitalizations is 1,861, the lowest since an average of 1,858 was reported April 12. The average has been steadily falling since peaking at 2,165 April 22 during the recent spring surge.

The number of deaths from coronavirus is one metric that has not been coming down. Officials reported 49 additional fatalities Friday, the highest count since 54 adjusted deaths were reported March 11.

The statewide death toll since the pandemic began reached 22,369, and the total number of known infections in Illinois since the start of the pandemic reached 1,363,507.

An additional 50,326 coronavirus vaccine doses were administered Thursday, bringing the total to 10,229,330. Over the last seven days, an average of 72,767 vaccines were administered daily.

The number of residents who have been fully vaccinated — receiving both of the required shots, or Johnson & Johnson’s single shot — reached 4,690,335, or 36.81% of the total population.