IL Coronavirus Cases Top 20,000 As Pritzker Offers Hope

ACROSS ILLINOIS —Gov. J.B. Pritzker is "cautiously optimistic" new coronvirus cases and deaths are beginning to level off in Illinois as he touched briefly on Sunday on what would need to be done to get the state back up and running again. During his Easter Sunday address, he said the most number of tests to date, 7,956 tests, were administered in the past 24 hours, which is inching closer to his goal of testing 10,000 people daily.

Of those tested, 1,672 people tested positive for the virus and 43 have died, he said. That brings the total number of people sickened by the virus to 20,852. In Illinois, 72o people have died from the virus to date but many more have recovered, Pritzker said.

• Illinois Coronavirus Update April 12: More Than 720 Deaths

While Sunday saw the highest number of new cases to date, Pritzker said that has to do with a higher number of tests that are available. The percent of new cases has been about the same for the past two weeks, he said. And the death toll over the 24-hour period was the lowest it's been in six days on Sunday.

"I pray as we move forward these trends continue," Pritzker said.

Meanwhile, state officials began talks on how to get life back up and running at some point.

"Frankly, weeks ago I began those conversations to see how we would do that. It's a question of how and when," Pritzker said Sunday. He said likely less than 20 percent of the population will have contracted the virus when things begin to stabilize and the state would not have "herd immunity."

So, he said the question is, "how do you operate society when you've brought down the infection" while still making sure we prevent another surge.

"The last thing we want to do is open things up and then have a spike in infections ... including a spike in deaths," Pritzker said.

For now, all are encouraged to "stay the course." Illinois was the second state in the U.S. to issue a stay-at-home order and health officials are encouraging residents to continue to heed guidelines set up for social distancing.

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.

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:

• The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

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.

Coronavirus by the numbers:

Illinois:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 20,852
• People tested: 100,735
• Deaths: 720
• Recovered: No data available

Nationwide:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 546,874
• Deaths: 21,686
• Recovered: 32,419

Sources: Johns Hopkins University and IDPH