CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker took time on Easter to thank Apple.
He said CEO Tim Cook saw to 100,000 N-95 masks being delivered to Illinois.
Pritzker also said the state is eighth in the nation in Census response, and reminded those who have not done so to complete the census.
There were 1,672 new positive COVID-19 cases from Saturday to Sunday, bringing the state’s total to 20,852.
Known cases now exist in 86 of 102 counties.
Pritzker said there were 7,956 tests since Saturday, the most the state has conducted in a 24-hour period.
In that, Pritzker said, there could be silver lining. The percent of positive tests was roughly the same as it’s been the last two weeks.
Pritzker expressed a hope there would be more tests available and more testing labs created in the near future.
Also, Pritzker said he was “cautiously optimistic” over another statistic: the death toll was its lowest in six days.
There were 43 new deaths, bringing the state’s fatality total to 720.
“I pray as we move forward these trends continue, and if they do, it’s because of you, adhering to our stay-at-home-order,” he said.
Pritzker said lifting the stay at home order is a matter of “how” and when.”
He said he’s talking to industry leaders, economists, scientists, and doctors about how he can help reopen Illinois for business, and at which point it will be safe to do so.
In response to a question about whether or not the Primary Election should have gone on as scheduled because there was a possible positive case at a Chicago polling place, Pritzker said the Governor does not have constitutional power to unilaterally decide to hold or not to hold an election.
