IL: Hospitalizations Jump 12% In 2 Days, 2,000+ Cases For 8th Day

ILLINOIS — State health officials on Wednesday reported 2,862 new cases of the coronavirus and 49 more deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. That marks the eighth day in a row with more than 2,000 new cases reported and the most single-day deaths reported since June. The statewide totals now stand at 327,605 confirmed infections and 9,074 known deaths. Another 3,038 probable cases and 246 probable deaths are not included in the official totals.

The latest deaths include:

• Adams County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
• Christian County: 1 male 60s
• Coles County: 1 male 80s
• Cook County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 3 males 90s
• DeKalb County: 1 female 60s
• DuPage County: 2 females 80s
• Ford County: 1 female 80s
• Franklin County: 1 female 100+
• Jefferson County: 1 male 70s
• Jersey County: 1 female 90s
• Jo Daviess County: 1 female 90s
• Kane County: 1 male 80s
• Knox County: 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
• Logan County: 2 male 80s
• Madison County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
• Marion County: 1 male 80s
• Marshall County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
• Peoria County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
• Randolph County: 1 male 80s
• Rock Island County: 2 males 60s
• Sangamon County: 1 male 50s, 2 males 70s
• St. Clair County: 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
• Vermilion County: 1 male 80s
• Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 female 90s
• Winnebago County: 1 female 40s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
• Woodford County: 1 female 60s

“More than 9,000 Illinoisans — our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, family, friends, and neighbors — have had their lives cut short by COVID-19, leaving tens of thousands more to grieve loved ones lost too soon,” Governor J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday in a statement. “As we pause today to mourn these individual and collective losses, may we find strength in the tools we have to protect our communities: wearing a mask, watching our distance, and respecting public health and each other. My heart breaks for all those who have lost a loved one in this battle we never asked to fight — may their memories be for a blessing.”

Hospitalizations across the state have jumped 6.8 percent from Tuesday and nearly 12 percent from Monday. As of Tuesday night, 1,974 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state, including 390 in intensive care and 153 on ventilators, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The statewide test positivity rate — a rolling, seven-day average — ticked up another tenth of a percentage point to 4.6 percent.

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.

Gov. Pritzker warned Wednesday that small, family gatherings have been a significant source of new coronavirus infections. For example, a CDC report released Tuesday said a 13-year-old girl infected 11 of her relatives at a family vacation over the summer, a stark warning for any holiday gatherings planned for the coming months.

"I'll be blunt: This virus isn't taking a holiday. It wants to find new hosts," Pritzker said at a Wednesday news conference. "There is no free pass in this season of giving when it comes to COVID-19. Many people who have erred on the side of caution up to now might face new temptation."

Across Illinois, all 11 emergency management regions have seen an increase in the positivity rate since last week. Since Region 1 instituted tighter restrictions on Oct. 3, the positivity rate there has continued to climb and currently stands at 10.1 percent.

"To the residents of Region 1, we’re rooting for you," the governor said. "Each of you have a direct role in making a change to bring your numbers down. Region 4 and Region 7 have demonstrated that it is possible to bring down the positivity rate with the tools we know to work. Wear a mask, keep some physical distance and encourage those who flout public health guidance to act with consideration for the whole community."

The United States now has more than 7.8 million confirmed coronavirus infections and at least 216,278 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Based on the latest predictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 224,000 to 233,000 Americans could be dead from the disease by Halloween.

Globally, more than 38.3 million people have been infected and more than 1 million are known to have died.

Illinois Patch Local Business Information Center

As local and state economies slowly emerge from pandemic lockdowns, it's often hard for customers to know the conditions under which local businesses are open. The business center contains easily accessible and up-to-date information about scores of local businesses, including everything from operating hours to the availability of by-appointment services, quick website links and other contact information. It's free to use and free for businesses to join.

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

'Virus Isn't Taking A Holiday': Pritzker Gives Holiday Guidance

"There is no free pass in this season of giving when it comes to COVID-19," the governor said

Teen With COVID-19 Infected 11 Relatives From IL, 3 Other States

Experts now believe the coronavirus is airborne, and tiny droplets containing the virus can linger indoors for hours as aerosols.

Coronavirus Life: You Can Vote Safely In Person Despite Coronavirus. Here's How.

Advance planning, early voting, and wearing a mask will minimize your risks. Plus, the facts about voter intimidation.

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.

102-Year-Old Chicago Woman Wears PPE To Mail Ballot: 'Vote!'

In a recent Instagram post, the Chicago Teachers Union stated, "If Bea can do it, anyone can do it. Vote!"

Chicago Adds Indiana To Coronavirus Travel Quarantine List

Spike in coronavirus cases puts Hoosier State on Chicago's list of COVID-19 hotspots on city's emergency travel quarantine list.

Coronavirus Deaths Surge In Kane County After Weeks With None

Eight residents died in the eight days that followed Kane County's longest stretch without a coronavirus-related death.

In-Person Classes To Start Next Week At St. Charles High Schools

About half of District 303 high school students are set to learn under a hybrid model starting next week.

In-Person Classes To Restart Next Month In West Aurora D129

West Aurora school officials are looking to bring back elementary and middle schools students during the second quarter of the school year.

Danelli's Survives The Pandemic With Oswego's 'Amazing' Support

Owners John and Chris Daniels said because of the community's help, "our staff has been able to continue to work, pay their bills."

Northern Illinois University Cancels Commencement, Spring Break

Provost Beth Ingram called the decision "heartbreaking for our graduates and their families." Find the revised spring schedule here.

Patch's 2020 Guide To Chicagoland's Best Halloween Yard Haunts

Patch's annual guide will help you plan for a socially distant All Hallows Eve.

Socially Distant Halloween Egg Hunts Might Save Trick-Or-Treating

One St. Louis resident is pitching an idea for safe trick-or-treating this year, and a local company has stepped forward to make it happen.

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.

Coronavirus by the numbers:

Illinois:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 327,605
• Deaths: 9,074
• People tested: 6,463,923
• Recovered: Illinois does not provide exact numbers of recovered cases, but says the recovery rate is 96 percent.

Nationwide:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 7,878,278
• Deaths: 216,278
• People tested: 117,420,096
• Recovered: 3,124,593

Global:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 38,317,777
• Deaths: 1,088,704
• People tested: No data available
• Recovered: 26,532,954

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.