MURPHYSBORO, Ill. — During Pritzker’s daily update on the state of COVID-19 in Illinois, 128 new cases of the virus were confirmed, now including Madison and Kendall Counties.
Illinois total positive cases is now at 288. The ages of those who have the virus range from 9-91.
“This virus knows no boundaries,” Pritzker said.
Grocery stores and gas stations will not be closing down.
Pritzker said that things will get worse before it gets better.
“When this is all over, we will still have each other,” Pritzker said.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, with the Illinois Department of Public Health said the numbers will gross significantly and the number of fatalities will increase.
She said that healthcare workers in nursing home facilities need to be healthy because they work with the most vulnerable population to the virus.
“It will take every single person in our community to do their part and break the cycle,” Ezike said.
Ezike said they don’t want to overwhelm the healthcare capacity, so those who can weather the virus and stay home will help others who need to be at the hospital for the virus.
Ezike also said that seniors should stay home.
Even though schools are not in session, Ezike said that kids should still not congregate.
“It will decrease the number of people infected,” she said.
According to Ezike, local health departments will have more updated numbers at this time.
“Help us break the cycle of spread,” Ezike said.
The COVID-19 outbreak that was confirmed Tuesday in an assisted living facility in DuPage County now has 20 additional confirmed cases.
Pritzker announced a website that citizens can go to for updates on unemployment, small business help, and information on COVID-19 at: coronavirus.illinois.gov
