coronavirus illinois

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: Where Regions Stand, Ezike Talks Emotional Moment

Note: Any news conferences from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot or other officials will be streamed in the video player above.

The state of Illinois reported more than 10,000 new cases of coronavirus over the weekend alone, marking a continuing upward trend in case numbers and positivity rates.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state exceeded 6,000 new cases in a single day for the first time ever Saturday, with 6,161 new cases reported. The state reported more than 4,000 new cases on Sunday.

Those numbers were reported as the state sees multiple regions nearing new restrictions that could go into effect in the near future, as Region 4 could see new mitigations in the coming week, with Region 9 not far behind, according to new data released Sunday.

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic across the state of Illinois today (Oct. 26):

Pritzker: Illinois Has ‘No Current Plans' to Turn McCormick Place Into Field Hospital

With the state of Illinois seeing increases in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, Gov. J.B. Pritzker says there are no plans currently in place to turn Chicago’s McCormick Place into a field hospital to deal with a potential surge in patients.

The convention center, which was prepared as an emergency field hospital earlier this year before being decommissioned when coronavirus cases and hospitalizations began to decrease, could still be used in that capacity in the future, but Pritzker says that advances in the treatment of coronavirus, and a better understanding of how the virus spreads, mean that the facility will not be used in that way during the current uptick in cases.

The governor says that the original spike in cases in March and April was one that was difficult to plan for and to project, but new knowledge gleaned from months of actions taken against the virus have shown that hospitals can take on the added load of coronavirus patients that the state is currently seeing.

Illinois Governor Says 'COVID Storm Coming' as State Metrics Continue to Rise

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday warned that "there seems to be a COVID storm coming" and urged residents to be prepared as the state's metrics continue rising.

"No matter where in Illinois you call home: as you go about your daily life, remember that this is not over," Pritzker said as he delivered his daily coronavirus press briefing.

The governor warned that six of the state's 11 healthcare regions will be under stricter mitigations this week, but more could soon follow.

Speaking from Peoria, which he said is currently in the best performing region in the state, the governor said no part of Illinois is currently immune to the rising metrics.

"Region 2, is currently the best performing of our state’s 11 Restore regions – but a 7.2 percent positivity average is nothing to write home about, and that’s on top of a slight uptick in hospitalizations this month after leveling off in August and September," Pritzker said.

But Region 2 isn't alone.

"Outside of Region 2, the remaining regions yet to experience heightened mitigations under the state plan are also trending in a bad direction. Region 11 – the City of Chicago – is now seeing an average positivity rate of 7.7, and Regions 3 and 6 are both at 7.8," he noted. "And Region 9, Lake and McHenry Counties, is reporting its first day of an average positivity rate above the 8 percent threshold, at 8.1 percent. If the region remains above the 8 percent threshold for the next two days, it could enter additional mitigations as soon as this week."

Already, Pritzker had announced two Illinois regions will soon be under new coronavirus restrictions as rising metrics triggered the state's mitigation plan.

Cook County Releases Statement to Residents Ahead of Added Restrictions

Suburban Cook County will be under heightened restrictions, including the suspension of indoor dining, beginning Wednesday as the area sees increases in its coronavirus positivity rate and hospitalizations.

Region 10, which holds all but Chicago in Cook County, became the first in Illinois to trigger the state's mitigation plan in multiple metrics simultaneously.

“We have seen eight days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospital admissions,” Cook County Department of Health Co-Lead and Senior Medical Officer Dr. Rachel Rubin said in a statement, “The positivity rate is now 7.7%, up from 7.2% last week. Metrics like these prompted the state to mandate Tier 1 Resurgence Mitigations, similar to other counties with increased transmission.” 

The positivity rate in Region 10 has ticked upward from 7.3% on Oct. 20 and to 7.5% on Oct. 21 and 7.7% on Oct. 22, continuing a slow upward trend, data from the state's health department showed. Hospitalizations are also going up, and the region only had an average of 25% availability on hospital beds in the event of a surge, along with a 30% ICU availability, as of Oct. 22.

"We are seeing test positivity across the state increase, but for Region 10, Suburban Cook County, we are also seeing a steady increase in hospitalizations for COVID-like illness,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement. 

“[Sunday] the state reported over 4,000 new cases of COVID-19 in a 24-hour period. The numbers are very concerning and a wake-up call as we head into colder weather, flu season and the holidays,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement. “We are all experiencing COVID fatigue, but we must remain vigilant and continue practicing the commonsense strategies that have been proven to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.”

The county health department warned that recent studies have shown "when people gather indoors to drink and eat at parties, bars, or restaurants they are more likely to become lax in following physical distancing and masking guidelines."

"And taking the party home isn’t necessarily safer,” Cook County Department of Public Health Co-Lead and Senior Medical Officer Dr. Kiran Joshi said in a statement. “People are exposed to the virus and are bringing it home to their families and friends."

Joshi cautioned as Halloween and the holiday season approach.

"As tempting as it may be to celebrate Halloween with friends, even small gatherings pose significant risk – especially for loved ones who may be more vulnerable to serious illness," Joshi said.

This week, Region 10 and Region 4 will join four other healthcare regions in the state with additional coronavirus mitigation restrictions.

Illinois Reports 4,729 New Cases of Coronavirus, 17 Additional Deaths Monday

Illinois health officials reported 4,729 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, along with 17 additional deaths attributed to the virus.

Monday’s new cases mark the fifth time in the last six days that the state has reported more than 4,000 new cases of the virus. The new numbers bring the statewide total to 378,985 cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

The 17 new fatalities bring the state’s death toll to 9,522, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

A total of 57,264 new tests were performed over the last 24 hours, with 7,326,216 performed during the pandemic.

The state’s seven-day positivity rate, on a steady rise for nearly all of October, increased to 6.3%, the highest it has been since early June.

Hospitalizations remain high in the state, with 2,638 patients currently hospitalized due to COVID-19. Of those patients, 589 are in intensive care units, while 238 are currently on ventilators.

Suburban Cook County Residents Can Now Apply for $600 COVID-19 Relief Payments

Thousands of suburban Cook County residents experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic can now apply for $600 payments as part of a new assistance program announced Monday.

The one-time payments will go to roughly 3,000 households "to support residents whose income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level prior to March 1, 2020," Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and other county officials announced.

"Many families are having a hard time making ends meet due to job loss during the pandemic. With the unemployment numbers rising and many workers furloughed, it’s becoming impossible to live check by check,” Preckwinkle said in a statement. "This program will offer relief to more than 3,000 residents who are experiencing financial hardship and provide some assistance for those who are struggling to pay bills or take care of essential needs.”

The $2.1 million Cook County COVID-19 Recovery Resident Cash Assistance Program will be funded by the Federal Cares Act, Preckwinkle said.

The application process launched Monday and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 6.

To qualify, applicants must be a resident of suburban Cook County and will need to provide the following documents:

  • One form of government issued identification that includes your current residential address or two alternative forms of identification
  • Proof of your COVID-19 hardship due to unpaid leave, care for vulnerable or infected relatives, or loss of wages due to business or school closures.
  • Proof of household income meeting eligibility requirements.
  • Bank information including account and routing number if you choose to direct deposit. You can typically find this on a check.

Residents can also apply for water, heat, gas and electric assistance under utility assistance programs. That application process closes at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 30.

More information on either program can be found here.

2 More Illinois Regions to See Increased Restrictions As Rising Metrics Trigger Mitigations

Two Illinois regions will soon be under new coronavirus restrictions as rising metrics triggered the state's mitigation plan.

Region 10, which holds all but Chicago in Cook County, will see the suspension of indoor dining and bar service, among other limitations, put in place Wednesday as the area becomes the first in Illinois to trigger the state's mitigation plan in multiple metrics simultaneously.

Region 4, known as the Metro East region, will also see the return of increased restrictions just days after such rules were lifted in the southern Illinois area.

"Region 4 has had a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of 8 percent or above for three consecutive days. Region 10 has had eight consecutive days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospital admissions making it the first region in the state to meet the metrics for additional mitigations in this way and surpass warning levels in two categories simultaneously," Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office said in a release.

Region 4 had been under heightened restrictions for weeks beginning in the summer, but recently saw the mitigations lifted as its positivity rate declined. Now, the area will see such rules put back in place.

The positivity rate in Region 10 has ticked upward from 7.3% on Oct. 20 and to 7.5% on Oct. 21 and 7.7% on Oct. 22, continuing a slow upward trend, data from the state's health department showed. Hospitalizations are also going up, and the region only had an average of 25% availability on hospital beds in the event of a surge, along with a 30% ICU availability, as of Oct. 22.

"“We are seeing test positivity across the state increase, but for Region 10, Suburban Cook County, we are also seeing a steady increase in hospitalizations for COVID-like illness,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement. “At the beginning of the pandemic, we were concerned about overwhelming our hospitals and we must take action now to prevent that possibility. We are entering flu season and our hospitals are facing both COVID-19 and flu admissions. The same things that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 will help prevent the spread of flu. Please, wash your hands, watch your distance, and wear your mask. And make sure to get your flu shot.”

Regions 10 and 4 will now join four other healthcare regions in the state with additional coronavirus mitigation restrictions.

Kane, DuPage, Will and Kankakee counties in the Chicago area saw added restrictions put in place beginning Friday. Region 5 in southeastern Illinois began the new measures on Thursday.

Region 1 in northern Illinois also saw a second tier of added restrictions beginning Sunday.

Several other regions in the Chicago area could potentially see additional rules put in place as well as they near the 8% positivity threshold set by the state.

Those regions include Chicago itself and Region 9, which includes McHenry and Lake counties.

“Much like the four areas already operating under Tier One or Tier Two of the plan – Northwestern Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Will, Kankakee, DuPage and Kane Counties – Region 4 triggered our 8 percent positivity average threshold, the second time it has done so since mid-summer," Pritzker said in a statement. "Region 10, on the other hand, is the first region in Illinois to earn additional mitigations not because of its positivity rate alone, but because its positivity rate and its COVID-related hospitalizations have both seen a sustained increase over the last 10 days.”

Here's a look at the full list of restrictions being added for Regions 4 and 10.

‘Overwhelming:' Illinois' Top Doctor Talks About Emotional Moment at News Briefing

In a moment that captured the emotional toll of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of Illinois Department of Public Health, was brought to tears Friday during a news briefing as she delivered difficult news about the second surge of the pandemic.

"Just thinking about how many seats are going to be empty, how many people who started this year and won’t be at the Thanksgiving table," she said Friday. "These are mothers and coworkers. It's overwhelming."

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike on Sunday recounted the speech during which she became emotional while addressing a second surge of coronavirus cases. NBC 5’s Lexi Sutter reports.

Ezike urged people to "stay strong" as the state continues to fight the pandemic, adding she was "desperate to find a message that will work" to battle COVID-19.

In an interview with NBC Nightly News over the weekend, Ezike said she's received hundreds of email since the news conference, and that "it sounds like everyone needed to have that release together."

Although the virus never went away, numbers dropped dramatically in Illinois for a time. But with the state now in its second peak, several mitigation measures have been put in place across the state, and many records have been broken.

On Saturday, the state reported a single-day record of 6,161 new coronavirus cases, surpassing the previous record by more than 1,200 cases.

"It's incited some feelings, some PTSD-type feeling as we think about starting round two, just remembering how difficult round one [was]," she said.

During an Oct. 23 coronavirus update, IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike broke down in tears when revealing the state's death toll due to the virus.

Ezike is not exempt from COVID-19 as she has lost relatives from the virus and takes it personally when she hears of business owners blatantly defying the state's rules and residents refusing to wear masks.

"There are no good decisions, but who wants to be in a situation like that," she said.

On Friday, new restrictions went into effect in Will, Kankakee, DuPage and Kane counties as a result of rising positivity rates. State officials suspended indoor bar and dining service, and capacity limits are expected to be enforced for outdoor seating at those venues.

Gatherings of over 25 people have also been prohibited.

Ezike warned that Cook County could be next to see similar restrictions, asking people to understand their power and to do their part.

"We need to take those tears and turn it into action," she said. "We need to wear our masks, maintain our distance, get our flu shots. We can be sad, but we can still fight."

As of Sunday, half of the state, 51 of Illinois' 102 counties were considered to be at a warning level. The state's seven-day positivity rate stood at 6.1%, the highest it has been since early June.

The Latest Details on Illinois’ Regional Coronavirus Metrics

Multiple Illinois regions are nearing thresholds for new coronavirus mitigation strategies, as areas in both the southwestern part of the state and in the northeastern corner of the state could see those rules put into place.

On Sunday, Illinois’ Region 4 reported a positivity rate of over 8% for the third consecutive day, potentially meaning that restrictions could go back into effect for a region that has already seen bars and restaurants shut down for indoor service for a period of time during the pandemic.

Elsewhere, Region 9, comprised of McHenry and Lake counties, saw its positivity rate increase to 7.9% on Sunday, putting it just shy of the threshold that would trigger new coronavirus restrictions.

You can find the most up-to-date metrics here.

Illinois Reports More Than 4,000 New Coronavirus Cases Sunday

After a record setting day Saturday, Illinois reported 4,062 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, along with 24 additional deaths attributed to the virus.

Sunday’s new cases mark the fourth time in the last five days that the state has reported more than 4,000 new cases of the virus. The new numbers bring the statewide total to 374,256 cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

The 24 new fatalities bring the state’s death toll to 9,505, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

18-Year-Old LaGrange Student Dies After Lengthy COVID-19 Hospitalization

An 18-year-old suburban Chicago college student has died after a lengthy hospitalization due to COVID-19 complications, university officials in Ohio said Friday.

According to a letter sent out to students, faculty and staff at the University of Dayton, Michael Lang, 18, passed away Thursday after a long battle against the illness.

School officials say Lang, a LaGrange resident, left campus on Sept. 13 to return to the Chicago-area for remote study. Lang was in his first year of school in the College of Arts and Sciences, officials said.

Illinois Smashes Single-Day Record With 6,161 New Cases

Illinois’ recent surge in coronavirus cases took another alarming leap forward Saturday, as the state reported a single-day record 6,161 new cases of the virus along with 63 additional deaths.

The state’s new record smashes the previous mark of 4,942, which was set on Thursday. In all, more than 30,000 new coronavirus cases have been reported in the last seven days, another new record, and a total of 370,194 cases have been reported since the pandemic began.

Saturday’s 63 additional deaths bring the statewide total to 9,481 during the pandemic, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Midwestern Coronavirus Positivity Rates Over the Past 2 Weeks

How States Compare on Where Coronavirus Is Most Easily Spread

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