New Restrictions For Metro East As IL Adds 1,492 Cases, 39 Deaths

ILLINOIS — State health officials on Tuesday announced 1,492 new cases of the coronavirus and 39 additional deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, bringing the statewide totals to 236,515 confirmed infections and 8,064 known deaths. Another 1,702 probable cases and 209 probable deaths are not included in the official totals. Gov. J.B. Pritzker also announced new restrictions would go into effect Wednesday for Region 4, the St. Louis Metro East.

The latest deaths include:

• Adams County: 1 male 80s
• Bureau County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
• Christian County: 1 female 80s
• Coles County: 1 male 70s
• Cook County: 1 female 30s, 2 females 70s, 4 males 70s, 1 female 80s
• DeKalb County: 1 female 90s
• DuPage County: 1 female 80s
• Jackson County: 1 male 60s
• Kane County: 1 male 80s
• Lake County: 1 female 80s
• LaSalle County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Macon County: 1 male 70s
• Macoupin County: 1 female 70s
• Madison County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Mercer County: 1 male 90s
• Morgan County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
• Moultrie County: 1 male 80s
• Rock Island County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
• Sangamon County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
• Tazewell County: 1 female 70s
• Vermilion County: 1 male 60s
• Will County: 1 male 60s
• Williamson County: 1 female 70s
• Winnebago County: 1 female 80s

Health officials said the positivity rate in the Metro East has only increased since initial restrictions were placed on the region two weeks ago. It currently stands at 9.6 percent, well above the 8 percent threshold officials have said would trigger new restrictions.

New mitigation measures include the suspension of all indoor service at bars and restaurants and limits to meetings, social gatherings, weddings and funerals of 25 guests or 25 percent capacity, whichever is lower.

Officials said the state health department will continue to track positivity rates and other statistics to determine if restrictions will be relaxed or tightened. If the positivity rate decreases to less than 6.5 percent over the next two weeks, the region will return to Phase 4 of the governor's reopening plan. If it remains the same or increases, more stringent mitigations will be applied, officials warned.

As of Tuesday, 1,513 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state, including 362 in intensive care and 146 on ventilators, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Thirty Illinois counties remain at a "warning level" for a surge in infections, including Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Cook, Cumberland, Effingham, Fayette, Greene, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Jasper, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Madison, Monroe, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Randolph, Sangamon, Shelby, St. Clair, Union, Warren, White, Will, and Williamson.

See how your region is doing here.

"Public health officials are observing people not social distancing, gathering in large groups, and not using face coverings," according to a news release. "In some counties, local law enforcement and states’ attorneys are not enforcing important mitigation measures like social distancing and the wearing of face coverings."

The statewide positive-test rate is 4.3 percent. The number is a rolling, seven-day average and represents an increase of two-tenths of a percentage point from Monday. In the past 24 hours, labs in Illinois have processed 22,961 coronavirus tests, for a total of more than 4 million since the pandemic began. According to Johns Hopkins University, a positivity rate of less than 5 percent is a good measure of whether enough tests are being conducted, and state officials have said a rate higher than 8 percent will trigger new restrictions in a given region.

The United States now has more than 6 million confirmed coronavirus infections, and at least 184,320 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Based on the latest predictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 196,000 to 207,000 Americans could be dead from the disease by Sept. 19.

Globally, more than 25.5 million people have been infected and 852,710 are known to have died.

Illinois Coronavirus Helpline:

Illinois officials say a state helpline has been set up to provide emotional support and quick answers to questions about the coronavirus pandemic. Illinoisans can test "TALK" to 55-2020 (or "HABLAR" for Spanish), and within 24 hours they will receive a call from a counselor. Residents can also text keywords such as "UNEMPLOYMENT," "FOOD" or "SHELTER," to the same number to receive additional information about those topics.

Here's what's happening with the coronavirus in Illinois:

Parents Overwhelmingly Want In-Person Classes: IL Patch Survey

"The kids are miserable," one Illinois parent said.

Governor Grudgingly Applies For $300 Trump Unemployment Benefit

Gov. J.B. Pritzker expressed grave concerns about problems with the program the president created this month via executive order.

School In The Time Of Coronavirus: Take IL Patch's Survey

Whether your district is going in person or remote, the 2020-21 school year is a big adjustment for many Illinois parents and students.

Snoop Dogg To Perform July 2021 In Aurora After Coronavirus Delay

Snoop Dogg is scheduled to stop in Aurora next summer after canceling his remaining 2020 performances due to the coronavirus pandemic.

'Mask-Free' Policy At Coffee Shop Cues Warning From Health Dept.

The business has posted signs about its "mask-free environment," warning customers to enter at their own risk amid the coronavirus pandemic.

University Won't Allow Freshmen, Sophomores On Campus For Fall

Northwestern University officials announced a 10-percent tuition cut for all undergraduates while advising underclassmen to stay away from Evanston

42K Pounds Of Food To Be Distributed Saturday In Aurora

Volunteers are expected to hand out more than 20 tons of chicken and rice Saturday at Waubonsie Valley High School.

Will Co. Reopening Region COVID-19 Positivity Continues To Rise

As of Sunday, the region has a positivity rate of 8.5 percent, which is a 0.1 percent increase since Friday's 8.4 percent.

Chicago Christian HS Staff Member Tests Positive For COVID-19

School calls a remote learning day for students on Monday as officials wait for guidance from health department.

Woman Took COVID-19 Relief Funds For Closed Restaurant: Feds

The former owner of Gifford's Social and Kitchen in Elgin faces charges in federal court.

Kane-DuPage Region's Coronavirus Positivity Rate Rises To 5.7%

While the two-county region's COVID-19 positivity rate was up, its new hospitalizations declined, according to state health officials.

'All My Doctors Say I Had COVID': Frankfort Square Man

Anderson said he didn't realize how sick he was, and several of his doctors have now told him that he shouldn't be alive.

Illinois Mail-In Voting: How To Get A Ballot, Drop Box Locations

Plus, mail-in voting deadlines. Follow these steps on how to properly cast your ballot by mail in Illinois.

New Mask Guidelines Issued For Illinois Bars, Restaurants

Face coverings must be worn during any interactions between patrons and staff under revised statewide regulation taking effect Wednesday.

New Restrictions For Will County: No More Indoor Dining, Drinking

The restrictions will go into effect for region 7, which includes Will and Kankakee counties, on Wednesday.

8-Year-Old Boy's Severe Illness Linked To Coronavirus: Report

The Niles second-grader was hospitalized in intensive care with multisystem inflammatory syndrome for nearly two weeks, his mother says.

Coronavirus by the numbers:

Illinois:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 236,515
• Deaths: 8,064
• People tested: 4,064,161
• Recovered: Illinois does not provide exact numbers of recovered cases, but says the recovery rate is 95 percent.

Nationwide:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 6,064,409
• Deaths: 184,320
• People tested: 78,292,321
• Recovered: 2,184,825

Global:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 25,583,294
• Deaths: 852,710
• People tested: No data available
• Recovered: 16,881,769

Sources: Johns Hopkins University and IDPH

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.

What to do if you're sick:

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:

• CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
• Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
• Face mask instructions — sew- and no-sew masks

To donate personal protective equipment (PPE), email PPE.donations@illinois.gov. For health questions about COVID-19, call the state coronavirus hotline at 800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.