Illinois Coronavirus Update May 13: 84,698 Cases, 3,792 Deaths

ILLINOIS — State officials on Wednesday announced 1,677 new cases of the coronavirus and 192 additional deaths — the highest single-day death toll yet — bringing the statewide total to 84,698 confirmed infections and 3,792 known deaths.

The latest deaths, which include a Cook County teenager, are:

• Clinton County: 1 female 20s
• Cook County: 1 male teens, 1 female 30s, 3 males 40s, 4 females 50s, 8 males 50s, 10 females 60s, 21 males 60s, 13 females 70s, 18 males 70s, 15 females 80s, 19 males 80s, 1 unknown 80s, 17 females 90s, 6 males 90s, 3 females 100+
• DuPage County: 2 males 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 5 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
• Jasper County: 1 male 90s
• Jefferson County: 1 male 60s
• Kane County: 1 female 70s, 3 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
• Lake County: 1 male 40s, 2 males 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 90s, 1 unknown 90s
• Madison County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
• McHenry County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
• Sangamon County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
• St. Clair County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
• Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
• Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s

Edwards County reported its first case of the virus on Wednesday, officials said. Ninety-nine of 102 Illinois counties now report cases, and deaths range from people younger than one year old to older than 100, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

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The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced Tuesday $25 million in fast-track grants to fund public infrastructure projects across the state. Officials said they grants will help accerate construction on planned projects while helping return skilled labor to work and offsetting the economic burden of the pandemic on communities across the state.

Officials will also put $75 million into state hospitals, allowing them to continue to provide essential services to their communities despite revenue shortfalls stemming from elective procedures delayed because of the pandemic.

Though Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order has already survived multiple challenges from state Republican lawmakers and a church, the governor is now being sued by three more business owners, including the owner of a pair of biker's bars, leading to the memorably titled court cases of Poopy v. Pritzker and Dookie v. Pritzker.

Pritzker said Monday afternoon that he now expects coronavirus cases won't peak in Illinois until mid-June, a change from previous models that had shown the peak coming by mid-May.

"In many ways, this news is disheartening," Pritzker said, explaining that keeping the curve flat is saving lives, but the virus won't go away until a vaccine is developed. That won't happen until at least next year, according to the White House's most optimistic estimates.

In the meantime, experts say testing, contact tracing and health care capacity are keys to safely lifiting lockdowns.

Within the past 24 hours, labs in Illinois have processed 17,668 coronavirus tests for a total of 489,359 since the pandemic began. Harvard economists say about 19,000 tests per day are necessary to accurately gauge the number of infections in the state, a prerequisite to reopening safely.

The United States as a whole has tested more than 9.6 million people for the coronavirus. After early testing failures that left officials unable to track the spread of the disease, that number is improving, but it still represents only about 2.7 percent of the U.S. population. Italy has tested more than 4.3 percent of its population, Germany 3.4 percent, and Canada about 3 percent, according to the Washington Post. South Korea, which reported its first coronavirus case on the same day as the United States, has tested only about 1.3 percent of its population, but it was able to do so much more quickly than the U.S., and it has reported only 259 COVID-19 deaths in the entire country as of May 13.

The United States now has nearly 1.4 million confirmed coronavirus infections, according to Johns Hopkins University, and at least 83,356 Americans have died from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. Globally, more than 4.3 million people have been infected and 294,997 are known to have died.

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 like "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:

'Poopy v. Pritzker': Business Owners Sue Over Stay-At-Home Order

All three lawsuits — Poopy v. Pritzker, Dookie v. Pritzker and Harrison v. Pritzker — argue the governor overstepped his emergency powers.

Wife Of El Milagro Worker Who Died: 'They're Not Protecting Us'

Workers tell CBS 2 Investigators they're still concerned about their safety after a colleague died from COVID-19.

Reopen Illinois Rally Demands 'Soft' Opening Of The State

Rally organizer Jason Hudson condemns the governor's plan to reopen Illinois, saying it is an "unconstitutional ban."

Retiring LFHS Choir Director Conducts 111-Part Final Performance

After 33 years directing Lake Forest High School choirs, Tim Haskett's final curtain call was a virtual one.

Restaurant Shuts Down After Worker Gets Coronavirus

The eatery had only recently reopened.

Algonquin Discusses Dining On Patios, In Parks, On Streets

The discussion comes at a time that McHenry County leaders are urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to move the county into a different health region.

J.C. Penney Bankruptcy Could Affect Illinois Stores: Report

The iconic retailer J.C. Penney, which has 29 Illinois stores, could become the latest to seek bankruptcy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Northwestern Announces $90 Million Shortfall, Furloughs 250 Staff

The university is suspending retirement contributions and drawing more from its endowment during the coronavirus pandemic, its leaders said.

IL Expedites $25 Million In Grants For Summer Construction

The funds are being expedited to help cover local projects that may have been otherwise canceled due to revenue losses from the coronavirus.

Church To Reopen For In-Person Sunday Services

The church sent a letter to the governor notifying him that it will "immediately" resume in-person services on May 17, "while implementing strict health and safety protocols."

How Teens Can Cope With Canceled Graduation, Prom: Therapist

Patch talked with Mark Copertino, a therapist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital about the challenges teens are facing.

Domestic Violence Shelters See More Crisis Calls Amid Coronavirus

"We're ready for people to contact us at any time," Amy Milligan of Metropolitan Family Services told Patch.

IL Children Hospitalized With Rare Coronavirus-Linked Condition

The rare syndrome, similar to Kawasaki disease, causes vomiting, fever, rashes and more in children, and can be extremely serious.

How Gig Workers Can Apply For COVID-19 Unemployment In Illinois

Illinois' online portal for 1099 workers to apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance under the CARES Act is set to open Monday.

Coronavirus by the numbers:

Illinois:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 84,698
• Deaths: 3,792
• People tested: 489,359
• Recovered: No data available

Nationwide:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 1,381,696
• Deaths: 83,356
• People tested: 9,637,930
• Recovered: 230,287

Global:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 4,317,061
• Deaths: 294,997
• People tested: No data available
• Recovered: 1,523,278

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 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.