Illinois Coronavirus Update Jan. 19: 4,318 New Cases, 33 Deaths
ILLINOIS — State health officials on Monday reported 4,318 new cases of the coronavirus and 33 more deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. More than 1 million Illinoisans have now caught the virus, and 18,291 have died from it.
The latest deaths in Illinois include:
Champaign County: 2 females 60s, 1 male 60s
Clay County: 1 male 70s
Cook County: 1 male 60s, 3 females 70s, 5 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 2 male 90s
DuPage County: 2 females 80s
Effingham County: 1 female 80s
Marion County: 1 male 60s
Montgomery County: 1 female 90s
Peoria County: 2 females 90s
Rock Island County: 1 male 70s
Sangamon County: 1 female 70s
Vermilion County: 1 male 60s
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday lifted some coronavirus restrictions on Regions 1, 2 and 5, in northwest, north central and southern Illinois, respectively, as case rates declined in there. And on Monday, the Illinois Department of Public Health said it would no longer include non-ICU bed availability in the metrics it uses to determine whether a region can advance to a less-restrictive tier of mitigations — clearing the way for restrictions to be reduced on several more regions.
Officials hope a new statewide surge staffing initiative will offset reduced capacity by allowing hospitals with unstaffed beds to take more patients.
Using the new metrics, Regions 8, 9, 10 and 11 — Kane and DuPage counties, Lake and McHenry counties, suburban Cook County and the city of Chicago, respectively — will move to Tier 2. Regions 1 and 6 will move to Tier 1, and Regions 3 and 5 will return to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan.
While public health officials say the new metrics will allow regions greater flexibility in lifting the most stringent restrictions, the state will continue to monitor hospital needs and test positivity in order to prevent a new surge of the virus that experts say may be coming via more-contagious variants of the virus from the United Kingdom, South Africa and elsewhere.
Federal officials say the vaccine rollout has been slow going and distribution is behind schedule, though vaccination rates have more than doubled in many Illinois counties in the past week. As of Friday, about 450,000 doses of the vaccine had been administered across the state. That represents about half the total doses the state has received and just over 3 percent of the state's total population.
Almost all of those who have received the vaccine are health care workers and residents of long-term-care facilities, who were prioritized under the first phase of the vaccine rollout.
Public health officials expect to complete the first phase, Phase 1a, of the state's COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan next week, according to the governor. About 3.2 million people will be eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine in Phase 1b, including Illinois residents 65 and older, front-line essential workers and — thanks to a recent change — prison inmates.
"We urge everyone to ignore the temptation of political attacks on this decision," the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement. "The suggestion that someone should die from COVID complications simply because they are incarcerated fails to recognize the value of human life."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks have been in prisons, where inmates can't social distance — and masks, tests and other resources have been in short supply. Outbreaks among prisoners also, invariably, spread to correctional staff and surrounding communities — often rural communities with few hospital beds — when those staff members go home to their families.
As of Sunday night, 3,335 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 across Illinois, including 713 in intensive care and 395 on ventilators.
The statewide case positivity rate — a rolling, seven-day average — is now 5.7 percent. The test positivity rate is 6.9 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.
See how your region is doing here.
The United States now has more than 24.1 million confirmed coronavirus infections, and at least 399,828 Americans have died from COVID -19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Based on the latest predictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 440,000 to 477,000 Americans could be dead from the disease by Feb. 6.
Globally, more than 95.8 million people have been infected and more than 2 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:
IL Revises Coronavirus Tiers, Will Prioritize Inmate Vaccinations
Inmates — like residents of other congregate settings — will get the vaccine before those younger than 65 with high-risk medical conditions.
COVID-19 Victims To Be Honored During Citywide Moment Of Silence
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is asking Chicagoans to turn off their lights and electronics at 6 p.m. Tuesday to "reflect on the pandemic."
Aurora Moves Back To Tier 2 Coronavirus Restrictions
Some pandemic restrictions have been rolled back in Kane and DuPage counties, but indoor service at bars and restaurants remains banned.
B117 COVID-19 Variant First Identified In UK Detected In Illinois
Northwestern University researchers found the new strain, thought to be more contagious, in samples selected at random last month.
Coronavirus Restrictions Lifted In Parts Of Illinois
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state is ready to move to Phase 1b of its COVID-19 vaccination plan on Jan. 25.
Ulta Beauty Lays Off 'Meaningful' Share Of Staffers Amid Pandemic
The Bolingbrook-based beauty retailer laid off employees Tuesday to rest the "corporate cost structure," spokesperson Eileen Ziesemer said.
Library Will Not Reopen Due To High Number Of Staff In Quarantine
The Northbrook Library had planned to reopen to the public on Jan. 19 for "grab and go" services.
Over 70,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Given In Suburban Cook County
In the last week, the rate of vaccinations in the Cook County suburbs has more than doubled.
Rep. Schneider Tests Positive For Coronavirus
U.S. Rep Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) is at least the third Congress member to contract it since last Wednesday's attack on U.S. Capitol.
Phase 1B Of Illinois' COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan Revealed
Everyone aged 65 and over will be included in the next phase of vaccinations, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced.
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: 1,076,532
Confirmed Deaths: 18,291
People tested: 14,898,528
Recovered: Illinois does not provide exact numbers of recovered cases, but says the recovery rate is 97 percent.
Nationwide:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 24,137,812
Deaths: 399,828
People tested: 281,142,160
Recovered: Latest data unavailable
Global:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 95,860,637
Deaths: 2,048,811
People tested: No data available
Recovered: 52,838,808
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
