Illinoisans

COVID-19 testing is ramping up across the state as cases continue to surge, and hospitalizations increase. There have been long lines at testing sites throughout the Chicago area, including DuPage County. Now the county is working to expand its testing, with a new site in West Chicago. There were already long lines Saturday morning in the Metra commuter parking lots near the testing site. The city of West Chicago, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the DuPage County Health Department joined together to put on the mobile testing site, located at 508 W. Main St. Organizers planned to remain open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., or until the tests run out. There are also other ongoing testing sites: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at the VNA COVID-19 Community Testing Center, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 155 N. Prince Crossing Road, free to those with no insurance 7 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday at the DuPage County Complex, County Farm Road, until the daily test capacity is reached; the testing is free The mayor of West Chicago sent a letter this week, pleading with residents to stay home for Thanksgiving. He cited the rising number of cases in West Chicago. In DuPage County, officials reported 370 new cases and eight more deaths Friday alone. Gov. JB Pritzker's Tier 3 COVID-19 restrictions went into effect Friday. Illinois public health officials reported 13,012 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 along with 126 deaths Friday. The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 634,395, with a total of 11,304 deaths. This was the third day in a row that Illinois reported more than 100 COVID-19 deaths, which hasn't happened since mid-May. In the past seven days, officials said COVID-19 has killed more than 800 people in Illinois. That's the state's deadliest week in six months. At his daily briefing Friday, Pritzker brought in video of the family of 30-year-old Danielle Kater of Bloomington, who died earlier this month. Top Illinois officials pleaded with Illinoisans to take COVID-19 seriously, warning of hospitals approachign capacity and rising deaths. 30-year-old Danielle Kater is one of them. Her mother, father and young widower asked people to take the virus seriously. "These aren't just numbers. They're not just statistics. They're real people with real lives and real futures that have been stolen by this virus," her mother Tina Rubin said. WATCH: Gov. Pritzker, Dr. Ezike give COVID-19 update Governor JB Pritkzer and IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike gave a COVID-19 update for Illinois as the state reported more than 13,000 new cases and Tier 3 mitigations took effect. At Rush University Medical Center, where the lobby is now a triage area, nurses from specialized units are helping with the surge of COVID-19 patients. "We're floating a lot to the COVID units because they are literally at full tilt right now, including many patients in the ICUs, and it's just getting worse every day," said Pam Katz, an oncology nurse at Rush. Katz is exhausted and also frustrated. "I hear stories from the other nurses," she said. "We've got people in the ICUs and even just the regular COVID units saying, 'Well I don't have COVID. This is pneumonia. This is...' There's even patients saying, well, I'd rather this be lung cancer than COVID." Silver Cross Hospital in Will County is feeling the challenge of the surging cases, as hospital beds fill up. WATCH: Illinois hospital systems nearing 'a breaking point,' administrator says The state surpassed 6,000 people in Illinois hospitals on Thursday, a new record and nearly double the number at the start of the month. Will and Kankakee counties form Region 7, where officials say there are only 22 ICU beds now available for a combined population of 800,000 people. RELATED: Where to find COVID-19 testing in Chicago area In Will and Kankakee just 11 percent of non-ICU beds are free; Kane and DuPage counties are also below the 20% warning threshold. "I think it's a dire situation. Their positivity is still going up, which means that we're going to continue to see more people infected," said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, IDPH director. Another sign of the strain on health systems is that officials say increasingly Illinois hospitals are requesting they be placed on bypass because of a full emergency department and a shortage of beds Illinois Tier 3 restrictions now in effect Tier 3 mitigation restrictions are now in effect throughout the state of Illinois, vastly reducing non-essential business capacities and closing indoor activits to prevent the spre The new Tier 3 restrictions aim to limit gatherings and encourage residents to stay home to stop the spread of coronavirus. The entire state entered Tier 3 mitigation Friday at 12:01 a.m. "Tier 3 boils down to this: If you don't need to do it, don't," Pritzker said. The new Tier 3 restrictions close gaming and casinos, theaters, banquet halls and event spaces, cultural institutions like museums, prohibit indoor fitness classes and group sporting activities, and call on all workplaces to have as many employees work from home as possible. Already struggling retailers will be limited to 25% capacity, including big box stores with a grocery section. Traditional grocers are allowed to continue operating at 50% capacity. Tier 3 COVID-19 mitigations took effect across Illinois Friday. Click here to read the complete set of Tier 3 Mitigations for all businesses in Illinois. "This is not a stay-at-home order, but the best way for us to avoid a stay-at-home order is to stay home," Pritzker said. Illinois Department of Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said she understands how Illinoisans are feeling but asked them to hold on. "I urge people to turn their frustration and their anger into something positive instead of trying to buck the mitigations can we all just follow them, acknowledging that these are what are needed to get back to some sense of normal," she said. Bars and restaurants remain limited to outdoor service, pickup and delivery only. Grocery stores can only operate at 50% capacity, gyms can only be open at 25% capacity with reservations, hotels are limited to registered guests, salons and other personal care services can only operate at 25% capacity, pharmacies at 50% capacity, non-essential retail at 25% capacity, and 10 person gathering limits are in place for outdoor sports and recreation. As cases surge across the state, college students are coming home for Thanksgiving break. University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones discussed the school's approach Friday. WATCH: University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones discusses college students heading home for Thanksgiving 2020 University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones discussed college students heading home for Thanksgiving Friday morning. Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 116,024 tests, the most ever in one day. In total there have been 9,588,698 specimens tested since the start of the pandemic in Illinois. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from Nov. 14-20, dropped to 13.4%. As of Thursday night, 6,111 people in Illinois were reported to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those, 1,196 patients were in the ICU with COVID-19 and 604 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. Region 8, which includes DuPage and Kane counties, is now failing to meet the hospital bed availability threshold of 20%. RELATED: Myths about COVID-19 busted: Masks, indoor transmission, cold weather, and more The deaths reported Friday include: - Adams County: 1 male 80s - Bureau County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s - Champaign County: 1 female 80s - Coles County: 1 female 90s - Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 40s, 2 females 50s, 2 males 50s, 4 females 60s, 7 males 60s, 6 females 70s, 11 males 70s, 9 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 2 males 90s, 1 female over 100, 1 male over 100 - DeKalb County: 1 female 40s - DeWitt County: 1 female 80s - Douglas County: 1 male 80s - DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s - Effingham County: 1 female 60s - Franklin County: 1 male 90s - Grundy County: 1 female 70s - Kane County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s - Kendall County: 1 male 90s - Knox County: 1 female 80s - Lake County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s - LaSalle County: 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 male 90s - Macon County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s - Madison County: 1 male 20s, 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s - Mason County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 90s - McDonough County: 1 male 60s - McHenry County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s - McLean County: 1 male 80s - Mercer County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s - Monroe County: 1 female 80s - Ogle County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s - Pike County: 1 male 80s - Randolph County: 1 female 80s - Rock Island County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s - Sangamon County: 1 female 80s - Stephenson County: 1 female 70s - Tazewell County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s - Whiteside County: 2 males 50s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s - Will County: 1 male 50s, 1 female over 100 - Winnebago County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s - Woodford County: 1 female over 100 VirusCovid-19Chicago AreaCoronavirus Disease 2019Whiteside CountyKendall CountyEmergency DepartmentChampaign CountyILIllinoisansIDPHSilver Cross HospitalICUSpreMetraKane

The Illinois Education Association is releasing its third annual State of Education report. The report is comprised of answers to a bipartisan poll that asks Illinoisans about all aspects of public schools. The biggest issue surrounded COVID-19, with 79-percent of those polled in favor of providing rapid testing in schools, establishing clear metrics regarding when to switch to remote learning, and more. The data also showed that the public trusted teachers the most when it came to coronavirus response, and that there was growing concern over the teacher shortage.Read Full StoryIeaData ReleasesPublic EducationEducation And SchoolsState SchoolsPublic SchoolsIEAState Of EducationIllinoisansEducation ReportPollTeachersCoronavirus Response

JOLIET, IL — As public health officials warn Illinois is experiencing a 'COVID storm,' numbers of new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations continued to rise unabated in the second week of November. In Will and Kankakee counties, Region 7 in the state's 11-region reopening plan, the positivity rate rose by 4.4...Read Full Story Coronavirus Disease 2019ILIncreased RiskHeart Attack PatientsIntensive Care UnitsIllinoisansIDPHEdwardsville EMSPeoria EMSRockford EMSChampaign EMSCoronavirus PatientsCoronavirus SymptomsCoronavirus SystemsHospitalizationsKane

First responders, the people we count on in an emergency, experience much higher rates of mental health crises. Tragically, 130 firefighter-paramedics across the country died by suicide last year. My husband Ryan Mains could easily have been one of those statistics. As a firefighter and paramedic for Woodstock Fire/Rescue District,...Read Full Story First ResponderMarylandEmotional TraumaLiving ThingsVolunteer FirefightersMarried PeopleHome HealthIllinoisansILFFPSArmyFirefighter Mental HealthHusbandSuicideBedEmergencyRyanJack Berry

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — The total number of coronavirus cases in Western Springs since the pandemic's beginning rose 26 percent in the last week, according to the Cook County Public Health Department. That's higher than the 18 percent weekly increase statewide. ... Orland Park, IL | 49m. Holiday Events In...Read Full Story Coronavirus Disease 2019SpringOrland ParkNovemberIllinois StateJefferson CountyAmericansIllinoisansWCHDOAK PARKThe Oak Park Library 'sUniversity Park.In JolietOak Park LibraryAcross IllinoisDavid Beckmann

OAK FOREST, IL — With the holidays fast approaching and COVID-19 rates climbing, public health officials are urging people to avoid gatherings of any size. But, according to an Ohio State University Poll, nearly 2 in 5 Americans plan to ignore that advice and attend a large holiday gathering anyway.Read Full Story Coronavirus Disease 2019Stanford UniversityGeorgia TechCDCResearch DataHome HealthAmericansIllinoisansIndoor EventsOutdoorsGatheringsCelebrationsThanksgiving DinnerLori Lightfoot

Gov. JB Pritzker warned that Illinois could be on the verge of having to shut down again as state public health officials reported 11,028 new COVID-19 confirmed and probable cases, and 166 deaths Saturday. There was a delay in death data reporting on November 13, 2020. Therefore, 66 deaths that occurred that day are being reported with Saturday's total, Dr. Ngozi Ezike explained during Friday's COVID-19 briefing. The average of hospitalizations for the last seven days is 4,933. That's the highest on record - the previous highest having been 4,817 on May 3rd. The governor tweeted Saturday that there are regions at risk for potential ICU bed shortages and staffing shortages as case rates continue to rise. RELATED: Mayor Lightfoot issues Chicago COVID-19 stay-at-home advisory The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 562,985, with a total of 10,670 deaths. Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 114,370, setting a one-day record for the state. In total there have been 8,986,010 specimens tested since the start of the pandemic in Illinois. WATCH: Gov. Pritzker gives COVID-19 Update on Nov. 13, 2020 Gov. Pritzker and Dr. Ezike gave a COVID-19 update Friday, November 13, as Illinois reported more than 15,000 new COVID-19 cases, shattering previous daily records. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from November 7, 2020 - November 13, 2020 is 14.7%. As of Friday night, 1,018 patients were in the ICU with COVID-19 and 499 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. RELATED: Myths about COVID-19 busted: Masks, indoor transmission, cold weather, and more The sharp rise in hospitalizations has lead to a different kind of COVID fatigue. RELATED: Hospital workers see COVID-19 patients increase statewide; Naperville hospital hiring nurses, expanding units "Our healthcare workers are tired. This COVID fatigue is real, and as we've seen a significant spike over the past few weeks, as you make rounds around the hospital, people are struggling," said Dr. Sanjeeb Khatua, executive vice president of Edward-Elmhurst Health. Illinois has the highest number of COVID-related hospitalizations during the pandemic, and beds are filling up. Suburban Cook, Kane and DuPage counties now have 19% of their non-ICU beds available, below the critical 20% threshold, which is seen as a red light. In Will and Kankakee counties, just 12% of ICU beds are open. "We are seeing capacity decrease everywhere," said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. "100%, 200%, 300% increases depending on where you are, so everybody's capacity is being threatened." "No measure that we can do at the state level is going to have, going to allow us to have enough beds. And so the power, everybody is saying what are we going to do? What are you going to do? Individuals need to take the responsibility to control this virus," she added. "As our numbers continue to rise, as the community spread continues to increase, we can anticipate that it's going to be harder and harder to staff as people get sicker and sicker from COVID," Khatua said. Gov. Pritzker threatened that if things don't improve across the state, another lockdown may be the only option left, and said that the state has reached "crisis" level. WATCH: Gov. Pritzker discusses Thanksgiving safety during pandemic Gov. JB Pritzker shared how residents can celebrate Thanksgiving safely during his daily COVID-19 briefing on November 12, 2020. Illinois is seeing projections that are worse than what it saw this spring, Pritzker said. The state is better prepared with stockpiles of PPE, better testing and overflow capacity plans for hospitals. But even still, some form of a mandatory stay-at-home order is not off the table, he said. "The numbers don't lie," Gov. Pritzker said. "If things don't take a turn in the coming days, we will quickly reach the point when some form of a mandatory stay-at-home order is all that will be left. With every fiber of my being, I do not want us to get there. But right now, that seems where we are headed." The governor had a simple question for elected leaders who remain defiant and refuse to enforce state guidelines. "Those who have flat out told the businesses in their communities to ignore what their local and state public health departments and experts, some of the best in the nation, are telling them: What is it going to take to get you to be a part of the solution?" Pritzker asked. The governor also recommended anyone thinking of traveling for, or hosting, Thanksgiving to quarantine for the next two weeks. He also reiterated the need for people to stay home as much as possible for the next three weeks. Illinois shattered its daily COVID-19 case record with more than 15,000 new cases reported, while Gov. Pritzker extended the state's eviction moratorium with some changes. Gov. Pritzker also announced another extension of the state's renter eviction moratorium. The current moratorium was set to expire Saturday, and advocates of tenants were warning about the possibility of mass evictions. "It's very stressful, and then on top of that, you know, I do have COVID and things are just not looking good on my end. It's very hard," said Melissa Malcom. Malcom moved into her apartment in September, but has been struggling to find enough work to pay rent. She is now two months behind on her rent. Pritzker was adamant that a moratorium on evictions is not enough to help people like Malcom, caught in a precarious position because of the pandemic. Hospital beds around Illinois are starting to fill up as the state shattered its daily COVID-19 case record, reporting 15,415 new cases Friday. "We need a new congressional stimulus for people in this country as soon as possible," he said. "But because we can't just wait around for the Republicans in the U.S. Senate to take action, I'll also be extending the moratorium on evictions for an additional 30 days." The moratorium does come with some changes, though, to help small landlords like Calvin Bright, who said his upstairs tenant owes $4,600 in back rent and refuses to pay even though she now has a job. "When a tenant sits there and tell you dead in your face that I'm going to have to evict her and then she told me on top of that, that she was working. She's, she's beating the system, you know this this is ridiculous," he said. To that end, the new eviction moratorium requires tenants to certify their income situation to landlords to prevent people from scamming the system. WATCH: Illinois public health officials urge residents to stay home during next 3 weeks New recommendations for Illinois residents to limit activity outside the home come as the state recorded its deadliest day since May. The Illinois Department of Public Health is calling on residents to work from home if possible, to only leave their homes for essential activities - such as grocery shopping, visiting a pharmacy or getting a COVID-19 test - to limit travel especially to areas experiencing high positivity rates, and limit gatherings - even small groups - that mix households, including for Thanksgiving. Pritzker also announced Friday the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has unveiled a new equity-centric healthcare plan that addresses the social and structural determinants of health. "As we continue to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring equitable healthcare access and delivery is more important than ever, especially in Black and Brown communities and for Illinois residents who are uninsured or underinsured," Pritzker said. "Under this newly released plan, my administration will work with our partners in the General Assembly to establish a system where all Illinoisans, regardless of their background or where they live, receive the quality care they deserve." If implemented, the new HFS plan would fund pilot projects and planning grants to address both healthcare and social determinants of health, emphasize collaboration with community-based organizations plus one unrelated healthcare provider, and ensure that health equity is a measurable, primary focus of each project, the governor's office said. Visit https://www.illinois.gov/hfs/SiteCollectionDocuments/HFSHealthcareTransformationProposal.pdf for more information. The deaths reported Saturday included: -Adams County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 90s -Bond County: 1 male 80s -Brown County: 1 male 60s -Bureau County: 1 male 80s -Champaign County: 1 female 90s -Clinton County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s -Coles County: 1 female 60s -Cook County: 2 males 40s, 4 females 50s, 2 males 50s, 6 females 60s, 10 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 7 males 70s, 8 females 80s, 14 males 80s, 6 females 90s, 7 males 90s -DuPage County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 2 males 90s -Effingham County: 2 females 90s -Franklin County: 1 female 90s -Henry County: 1 male 70s -Iroquois County: 1 female 60s -Kane County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 2 males 90s -Kankakee County: 1 male 80s -Kendall County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s -Knox County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s -Lake County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 2 males 90s -LaSalle County: 1 male 90s -Livingston County: 1 male 60s -Macon County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s -Madison county: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s -McLean County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s -Monroe County: 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s -Ogle County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s -Peoria County: 1 female 40s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 90s -Randolph County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 90s -Rock Island County: 1 male 80s -Sangamon County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s -Shelby County: 1 male 60s -Stephenson County: 1 female 70s -Tazewell County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s -Vermilion County: 1 male 60s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s -Wayne County: 1 male 60s -Whiteside County: 1 female 90s -Will County: 1 female 60s, 2 females 70s, 3 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s -Williamson County: 1 male 70s -Winnebago County: 1 female 80s -Woodford County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s Coronavirus Disease 2019DuPage CountyWhiteside CountyKendall CountyIllinois StateU.S. Department Of StateDepartment Of HealthChampaign CountyIllinoisansICUEdward-Elmhurst HealthIDPHPPEHFSU.S. SenateKane

GENEVA, IL — With the holidays fast approaching and COVID-19 rates climbing, public health officials are urging people to avoid gatherings of any size. But, according to an Ohio State University Poll, nearly 2 in 5 Americans plan to ignore that advice and attend a large holiday gathering anyway. If...Read Full Story Coronavirus Disease 2019Stanford UniversityGeorgia TechResearch DataCDCSocial DataAmericansIllinoisansPatch StaffIndoor EventsGatheringsCelebrationsOutdoorsCOVID-19 RatesLori Lightfoot

With a new wave of COVID-19 surging across the state of Illinois, the Midwest and the nation, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced additional COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will take effect in every region across the state in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. Tier 3 mitigations build on the Resurgence Mitigation Plan released in July to suppress the spread of the virus and prevent hospitals from becoming overrun. This latest round of mitigations aims to limit gatherings and encourages residents to stay home as much as possible and follow proper safety measures when out in public. The mitigations carefully balance the paramount goal of saving lives while preserving the option for in-person learning for children and protecting as much of the economy as possible from the continued impacts of the virus.Read Full Story Coronavirus Disease 2019MidwestIntensive Care UnitState GovernmentsRegional GovernmentsSchool DistrictsIDPHIllinoisansEHSIncreased CasesRegionsMinimum Operational StaffProper Safety MeasuresResurgence MitigationsRetail MitigationsMaximum Capacity

SHELBYVILLE — A Shelby County resident in his 60s has died of COVID-19. The latest death, announced Friday by the Shelby County Health Department, brings the total number of deaths associated with the virus to 22. Officials also announced 22 more county residents have tested positive.Those residents range in age...Read Full Story ShelbyvilleCoronavirus Disease 2019SHELBYVILLELivingstonPeoriaMaconState DepartmentDepartment Of HealthChristianCOVIDIDPHIllinoisansFordWoodfordTwitter