IL Shatters Record With 15,415 New Coronavirus Cases On Friday
ILLINOIS — State health officials on Friday reported 15,415 new cases of the coronavirus. The astounding number shatters the previous record of 12,702 new cases set Thursday, which in turn broke the record set Wednesday, which broke the record set Tuesday. The state has now reported more than 12,000 new cases for the fourth day in a row, and the spike shows no sign of abating.
Twenty-seven more Illinoisans are dead from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. More than half a million Illinoisans have now caught the virus, more than 10,000 have died, and hospitalizations have rocketed to all-time highs.
The latest deaths include:
Carroll County: 1 female 90s
Champaign County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
Cook County: 1 female 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s
Greene County: 1 female 90s
Jersey County: 1 female 90s
Jo Daviess County: 1 male 70s
Kane County: 2 males 90s
Knox County: 1 male 70s
LaSalle County: 1 female 90s
Macon County: 1 female 100+
Madison County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
McLean County: 1 female 90s
Ogle County: 1 female 80s
Pulaski County: 1 male 70s
Saline County: 1 female 70s
Sangamon County: 1 female 60s
St. Clair County: 1 female 60s
Will County: 1 female 90s
Williamson County: 1 male 70s
Winnebago County: 1 male 40s
"If things don't take a turn in the coming days, we will quickly reach the point where some form of a mandatory stay-at-home order will be all that is left," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday. "With every fiber of my being, I do not want us to get there, but right now that seems like where we are headed."
State health officials on Wednesday asked residents to "stay at home as much as possible" over the next three weeks, but stopped short of issuing any orders to that effect. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday announced a stay-at-home advisory for 30 days in response to spiking coronavirus cases in the city, and county health officials followed suit on Friday with their own stay-at-home advisory for suburban Cook County.
The statewide totals stand at 551,957 infections, 10,504 confirmed deaths and 387 probable deaths. Hospitalizations jumped another 2 percent from Thursday. As of Thursday night, 5,362 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 across Illinois, including 990 in intensive care and 488 on ventilators.
The statewide case positivity rate — a rolling, seven-day average — is now 13.2 percent, 0.6 percentage points higher than the previous day.
(That's the number the state has reported since the start of the pandemic and is calculated by dividing total cases detected by total tests performed. Another way to calculate the positivity rate is to divide the number of positive tests by total tests performed. By that calculation, the test positivity rate is 14.5 percent.)
According to Johns Hopkins University, a positivity rate of less than 5 percent is a good measure of whether enough tests are being conducted, and state officials have said a rate higher than 8 percent will trigger new restrictions in a given region.
All but six of Illinois' 102 counties are now at a "warning level" for a surge in coronavirus cases. They include Adams, Alexander, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, DeWitt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Massac, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Mercer, Monroe, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago and Woodford counties, plus the city of Chicago.
See how your region is doing here.
The United States now has more than 10.6 million confirmed coronavirus infections, and at least 242,918 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Based on the latest predictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 260,000 to 282,000 Americans could be dead from the disease by Dec. 5.
Globally, more than 53 million people have been infected and more than 1.3 million are known to have died.
Illinois Patch Local Business Information Center
As local and state economies slowly emerge from pandemic lockdowns, it's often hard for customers to know the conditions under which local businesses are open. The business center contains easily accessible and up-to-date information about scores of local businesses, including everything from operating hours to the availability of by-appointment services, quick website links and other contact information. It's free to use and free for businesses to join.
Here's what's happening with the coronavirus in Illinois:
Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Advisory Issued For Suburban Cook County
With COVID-19 cases surging throughout the region, public health officials urged everyone in Cook County to stay home for 30 days.
Chicago Announces Coronavirus "Stay At Home" Advisory For 30 Days
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicagoans shouldn't invite guests into their homes and must cancel Thanksgiving plans as coronavirus cases spike.
Pritzker: Statewide Stay-At-Home Order 'Seems Like Where We Are Headed'
"More people will die because you've failed to do your job," Pritzker told elected officials who aren't enforcing coronavirus restrictions.
McHenry Co. To Take Aim At COVID-19 Rule Breakers
McHenry Co. Board Chair Jack Franks asked local health officials to come up with ways to penalize restaurants continuing to serve indoors.
Trump Megadonors Contract Coronavirus, Joining Fellow Billionaire
"I thought we'd never get it," Liz Uihlein, an outspoken critic of COVID-19 restrictions, told Uline employees Wednesday.
'Superspreader' Sites Drive Spread Of Coronavirus, Model Finds
Shoppers at grocery stores in poorer neighborhoods face twice the risk of those in richer ones, Northwestern and Stanford researchers found.
Region 9 Hits 14.5% Positivity Rate; Hospitalizations Spike
Lake and McHenry counties saw a huge jump in people testing positivity for COVID-19 in recent days.
IL Hospitalizations Surpasses Spring Peaks In Several Regions
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the majority of the state's regions are seeing higher rates of hospitalizations than they did last spring.
Region 9 On Track To Hit Tier 2 Restrictions Saturday
The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-like illnesses also continues to rise.
Deerfield Community Rallies Around Mailman With Coronavirus
A GoFundMe has been set up for the local man, who is in critical condition and has been sick since Oct. 2.
Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show Free For First Responders Saturday
'Let It Shine' launches this weekend at Northbrook Court.
FoxFire Loses Restraining Order Against Indoor Dining Ban
"Simply put, (FoxFire) has neither pled nor presented evidence that the cure is worse than the disease," an Illinois appellate court said.
Illinois Coronavirus Helpline:
Illinois officials say a state helpline has been set up to provide emotional support and quick answers to questions about the coronavirus pandemic. Illinoisans can test "TALK" to 55-2020 (or "HABLAR" for Spanish), and within 24 hours they will receive a call from a counselor. Residents can also text keywords such as "UNEMPLOYMENT," "FOOD" or "SHELTER," to the same number to receive additional information about those topics.
Coronavirus by the numbers:
Illinois:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 551,957
Confirmed Deaths: 10,504
People tested: 8,871,640
Recovered: Illinois does not provide exact numbers of recovered cases, but says the recovery rate is 97 percent.
Nationwide:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 10,607,221
Deaths: 242,918
People tested: 158,066,575
Recovered: 4,051,256
Global:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 53,089,514
Deaths: 1,312,170
People tested: No data available
Recovered: 34,278,413
Sources: Johns Hopkins University and IDPH
Tips from the CDC on dealing with coronavirus:
While the best way to prevent illness is to avoid virus exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generally recommends taking these actions to prevent the spread of viruses:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
What to do if you're sick:
Call head if you're planning to visit your doctor:
If you have a medical appointment, call the health care provider and tell them that you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the health care provider's office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed.
Stay home unless you must see a doctor:
Stay home: People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to isolate at home during their illness. You should restrict activities outside your home, except for getting medical care.
Avoid public areas: Do not go to work, school, or public areas.
Avoid public transportation: Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis.
Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home:
Stay away from others: As much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.
Limit contact with pets and animals: You should restrict contact with pets and other animals while you are sick with COVID-19, just as you would around other people. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus.
When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick. If you are sick with COVID-19, avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked and sharing food. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with pets and wear a face mask. See COVID-19 and Animals for more information.
Avoid sharing personal household items:
Do not share: You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home.
Wash thoroughly after use: After using these items, they should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
Masks:
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
To donate personal protective equipment (PPE), email PPE.donations@illinois.gov. For health questions about COVID-19, call the state coronavirus hotline at 800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
This article originally appeared on the Across Illinois Patch
