(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19 as the state has recorded its largest-ever daily spike of coronavirus infections.
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday announced 30,386 new COVID-19 cases, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
That count exceeds by more than 9,000 the previous state record set on Christmas Eve, when more than 21,000 infections were diagnosed, the newspaper notes.
Health officials blame the prevalence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which has been deemed to most contagious.
Stratton, the state's second-in-command, announced on Twitter that she had mild symptoms and would isolate, after she tested positive. She is the latest public official to report a breakthrough case.
Earlier this week, Chicago Congressman Bobby Rush said he also had a breakthrough case of COVID-19, with milder symptoms.
Stratton is among nearly 117,000 Illinoisans who have tested positive for the coronavirus over the past week. Nearly one-fourth of Illinois residents eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine remain unvaccinated.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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