Illinois Coronavirus Update Nov. 18: 8,922 New Cases, 140 Deaths
ILLINOIS — State health officials on Wednesday reported 8,922 new cases of the coronavirus and 140 more deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. The statewide totals now stand at 606,771 infections, 11,014 confirmed deaths and 387 probable deaths.
The latest deaths include:
Adams County: 1 male 90s
Bureau County: 1 female 90s
Champaign Cunty: 1 female 100+
Clinton County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
Coles County: 1 male 90s
Cook County: 2 males 30s, 1 female 40s, 2 males 40s, 2 females 50s, 4 males 50s, 7 females 60s, 13 males 60s, 10 females 70s, 9 males 70s, 6 females 80s, 13 males 80s, 6 females 90s, 4 males 90s, 1 male 100+
DeWitt County: 1 female 90s
DuPage County: 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s, 2 males 90s
Effingham County: 1 male 90s
Fayette County: 1 male 80s
Franklin County: 1 male 90s
Greene County: 1 male 90s
Jackson County: 1 male 70s
Kendall County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 90s
Knox County: 1 female 90s
Lake County: 1 male 90s
LaSalle County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 3 males 80s, 1 female 90s
Livingston County: 1 male 60s
Logan County: 1 male 80s
Macon County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
McDonough County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
McHenry County: 1 male 70s, 2 females 90s
Ogle County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
Peoria County: 2 females 80s
Sangamon County: 1 male 80s
St. Clair County: 1 female 70s
Stephenson County: 1 female 80s
Tazewell County: 1 male 90s
Vermilion County: 1 male 70s
Warren County: 1 female 80s
Wayne County: 1 male 90s
Whiteside County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
Will County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Williamson County: 1 male 70s
Winnebago County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s
Hospitalizations continued to rise, jumping slightly more than 1 percent from Tuesday, but ICU occupancy fell for the first time in weeks. As of Tuesday night, 5,953 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 across Illinois, including 1,146 in intensive care and 547 on ventilators.
The statewide case positivity rate — a rolling, seven-day average — is now 11.9 percent, dropping 0.6 percentage points from Tuesday.
(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 14.2 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 11.4 million confirmed coronavirus infections, and at least 249,430 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 55.9 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:
Entire State Moving To Tier 3: 'This Is Not A Stay-At-Home Order'
"Tier 3 boils down to this: if you don't need to do it, don't," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday.
Pritzker Pauses Winter Sports Season Amid Coronavirus Mitigations
The governor's office and Illinois Department of Public Health have declined invites to Thursday's Illinois High School Association meeting.
Misty, Emotional Pritzker Still Didn't Address Pandemic Hypocrisy
KONKOL COLUMN: Gov. Pritzker deserves empathy over the pain of being apart from family on Thanksgiving, but not a free pass on hypocrisy.
Governors Tell Midwesterners To 'Mask Up,' Stay Safe This Winter
A recently announced vaccine "doesn't mean that we can let our guard down," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said — we have to survive the winter first.
Holiday Events In Chicago: What Is Your Risk Of COVID Exposure?
What are the chances you'll be exposed to the coronavirus at Thanksgiving dinner or a holiday party?
Hospitals Cut Back On Elective Surgery Amid Coronavirus Surge
"The next couple of months are going to be bad no matter what," Dr. Robert Citronberg warned. "It's just a question of how bad."
35% Of IL Teachers Consider Quitting Due To Coronavirus: Survey
Stress and safety concerns amid COVID-19 are aggravating an existing teacher shortage, according to the Illinois Education Association.
Keep Thanksgiving Virtual Or Within Own Household In IL: CDC
Small gatherings are a big contributor to the worsening coronavirus pandemic, health officials said. Illinois is on a stay-at-home advisory.
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.
Lake Forest High School Halts Hybrid Learning Due To Coronavirus
Administrators said the district will stick with a fully remote learning schedule until after the Thanksgiving holiday, at the earliest.
Kaneland Schools Moving To Online Learning Amid Coronavirus Surge
Over the past two weeks, coronavirus cases have more than doubled within District 302, which includes parts of Aurora and North Aurora.
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: 606,771
Confirmed Deaths: 11,014
People tested: 9,359,227
Recovered: Illinois does not provide exact numbers of recovered cases, but says the recovery rate is 97 percent.
Nationwide:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 11,419,204
Deaths: 249,430
People tested: 165,828,419
Recovered: 4,293,640
Global:
Total number of coronavirus cases: 55,946,862
Deaths: 1,344,557
People tested: No data available
Recovered: 35,955,612
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
