Illinois Coronavirus Update April 15: 24,593 Cases; 948 Deaths
ACROSS ILLINOIS — State health officials said Illinois saw 1,346 new coronavirus cases and 80 more deaths on Wednesday, a slight uptick from Tuesday. As of 2:30 p.m., the state's coronavirus case count stood at 24,593, with 948 deaths attributable to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Nationally, more than 614,482 Americans have caught the virus, and 27,085 have died as of Wednesday morning.
The state is working to increase its testing capacity but has thus far failed to meet its 10,000-test-a-day goal. So far, 116,929 people have been tested for the virus in Illinois, about 6,300 more than the previous day
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Meanwhile, Gov. J.B. Pritzker addressed the steps being taken to speed up the unemployment filing process as more and more residents find themselves out of work as the stay-at-home order continues until at least April 30.
In Chicago, an election judge died after becoming ill five days after presiding over the March 17 primary, which went ahead even as bars and restaurants were closed to dine-in customers and schools were closed statewide. Multiple election workers also fell ill with COVID-19, according to CBS.
Illinois' most recent deaths include:
Cook County: 1 female teens, 1 male 30s, 2 males 50s, 11 females 60s, 5 males 60s, 5 females 70s, 11 males 70s, 5 females 80s, 4 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 5 males 90s, 1 female 100+, 1 male 100+
DuPage County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 male 90s
Jackson County: 1 male 80s
Lake County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 100+
Macon County: 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
McHenry County: 3 males 70s
Monroe County: 1 female 90s
Ogle County: 1 female 80s
Rock Island County: 1 male 50s
St. Clair County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Whiteside County: 1 male 70s
Will County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
Eighty-nine of 102 Illinois counties now report coronavirus cases. Union County reported its first case on Wednesday.
More than 3 million Americans have been tested for the coronavirus since the outbreak began, and 101,768 have been hospitalized due to the virus. More than 50,000 patients in the U.S. have recovered.
Globally, more than 2 million people have been infected and at least 132,276 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than half a million people worldwide have recovered from the coronavirus.
Here's what's happening with coronavirus in Illinois:
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Coronavirus by the numbers:
Illinois:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 24,593
Deaths: 948
People tested: 116,929
Hospitalized: No data available
Recovered: No data available
Nationwide:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 614,482
Deaths: 27,085
People tested: 3,138,413
Hospitalized: 101,768
Recovered: 50,101
Global:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 2,023,663
Deaths: 132,276
People tested: No data available
Hospitalized: No data available
Recovered: 507,339
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 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
This article originally appeared on the Across Illinois Patch
