The newest
State sees 59 extra COVID-19 deaths, and Pritzker ‘worried’ protest crowds may imply extra circumstances down the street
Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
The coronavirus has claimed any other 59 lives in Illinois, officers mentioned Friday, because the state has surpassed greater than 1 million assessments carried out.
The state has misplaced 5,795 to the pandemic. The Illinois Department of Public Health additionally reported 1,156 new circumstances out of 18,903 assessments returned for a day-to-day positivity charge of 6%. In overall, there were 125,915 sure coronavirus assessments and 1,000,919 assessments carried out.
According to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s workplace, 2,094 COVID-19 sufferers are within the state’s hospitals, with 817 in extensive care and 500 on ventilators.
The 59 deaths reported on Friday is a spoil from the remaining 3 days, when the fatality rely hovered round or above the 100 mark. Friday’s document closed out the week extra love it started, when Monday noticed 23 deaths, the bottom day-to-day tally in two months.
Read the entire tale via Tina Sfondeles right here.
1 p.m. Coronavirus pandemic seems other in Scott County
The virus that has raced world wide and killed greater than 100,000 within the United States has but to succeed in one small group in Illinois.
Scott County, with a inhabitants of about 4,951, is the one one in all Illinois’ 102 counties that has now not reported a unmarried case of COVID-19.
The mayor of Winchester, the 1,458-population county seat, suspects it’s as a result of so few folks transfer out and in, reducing the chance of somebody bringing within the virus.
The native public well being legitimate thinks they may have had a couple of circumstances early on, however nobody was once getting examined then.
Some citizens — specifically the more youthful crowd — assume the entire pandemic has been overblown.
“We think it’s more political than anything,” mentioned Dalton Schoenfelder, 20, a laid-off manufacturing unit employee. “It’s not as bad as people portray it out to be.”
While many downstate Illinois communities were devastated via the coronavirus and its financial have an effect on — with outbreaks at nursing properties, companies closed and staff laid off, tiny Scott County is the nook of Illinois that the coronavirus forgot.
Read the entire tale from Neal Earley right here.
News
12:40 p.m. Lightfoot hopes to reopen lakefront quickly — with restrictions
Mayor Lori Lightfoot mentioned Friday she hopes to reopen portions of the lakefront “very soon” — all the way through designated hours and just for sure actions, possibly those who stay shifting.
On March 26, Lightfoot famously closed the lakefront and all of its parks, trails and seashores as a result of Chicagoans couldn’t be relied on to care for social distance.
On Friday, the mayor was once requested when and the way the lakefront can be reopened.
“Obviously, the circumstances of this week have required us to focus our attention on other issues. But I’m hoping to be able to announce a reopening of the lakefront relatively soon with a plan toward safely minimizing crowding and really having some designated time for particular activities along the lakefront,” she mentioned.
Read the entire tale right here.
10:48 a.m. Illinois colleges get ready to reopen for summer season categories
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed an government order Thursday permitting Illinois colleges to reopen this summer season with enhanced protection precautions to give protection to towards the unfold of COVID-19.
Ultimately even though, native college districts will decide whether or not to renew in-person finding out.
Chicago Public Schools up to now introduced that categories would proceed to be held nearly this summer season. Students who don’t whole all their paintings all the way through far off finding out this spring will likely be advised to sign up for summer season college to make up, officers have mentioned.
A district spokesperson didn’t straight away reply to a request for touch upon whether or not that plan may alternate in mild of Pritzker’s order.
Over the summer season, all colleges will have to observe the Phase three necessities of Pritzker’s Restore…