* The governor is holding a press conference on the COVID-19 topic right now. Click here to watch it. This post will be updated.
*** UPDATE 1 *** IDPH director says the state response “may include cancelling large events.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Gov. Pritzker said he’s been in close communications with the mayor about St. Patrick’s Day and the mayor is talking with parade organizers. Pritzker said they may be making announcements tomorrow “about any decision that could be made.” Full text…
*** UPDATE 3 *** Pritzker: “I am very frustrated with the federal government. We have not received enough tests.” Complained about how the federal government “passed up the opportunity that was already developed” overseas, where countries are testing. “We could have been using that weeks ago in the United States.”
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Kane County Health Department (KCHD), and the McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) today announced the first Illinois residents outside of Chicago and Cook County to test positive at the IDPH laboratory for coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The cases include a Kane County woman in her 60s and a McHenry County teen, neither of whom had a history of travel to an affected area and no connection to a known case of COVID-19. Public health officials are identifying and contacting all close contacts.
“As we anticipated, the number of cases in Illinois is increasing and now includes the first cases outside of Chicago and Cook County,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “The State of Illinois continues to take action to reduce spread of COVID-19 in Illinois and we again want to encourage people to start thinking and preparing now in the event they are not able to go to work, if schools are closed, if public transportation is not available, and how else their lives will be disrupted by this outbreak.”
Currently, there are 19 individuals in Illinois who have tested positive for COVID-19. At least one case acquired the virus in the community, but probably more. As IDPH continues to conduct surveillance testing, additional cases will be identified, and we will have a better understanding about the amount of virus circulating in Illinois communities.
In addition to the cases in Kane and McHenry counties, new cases include individuals in:
Cook County:
• 70s – male
• 60s – female
• 40s – female
• 40s – male
Chicago:
• 40s – male
• 40s – male
Public health officials are still investigating the travel history of these individuals and any potential contact with a known COVID-19 case. These most recent cases are in isolation and are doing well.
…Adding… Press release…
The Health Care Council of Illinois and nursing homes throughout the state are working in close coordination with Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health to follow all coronavirus guidelines to protect the health and safety of skilled nursing facility residents and staff.
Since our residents are at heightened risk for complications because of their age and underlying health conditions, nursing homes in Illinois are always vigilant in protecting our residents from communicable diseases.
Following the IDPH recommendations, our nursing home employees are being monitored for potential symptoms prior to starting their shifts and encouraged to stay home if they are sick. We have put in place visitor restrictions, with few exceptions, and those allowed to entered will be screened. Finally, we are reinforcing already stringent standards of hand hygiene.
Our residents and staff our always our highest priority and we are steadfast in our commitment to their health and safety.
- North Park - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 2:49 pm:
Today’s the day I quit the L until we get on the other side of the curve. Hello cycling commute! Though I’m still working out the risk analysis between the two. Still think I’ll take my chances with distracted drivers.
- Red Raider - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:00 pm:
Opening day is 2 weeks from tomorrow. White Sox host KC. Think they’ll play the game? Or play it in front of fans?
I doubt the US will be getting a handle on this in the next 2 weeks.
- boosted - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:08 pm:
After this weekend of ST. Patrick parades we should thousands more exposed to COVID 19.
- Southern Skeptic - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:11 pm:
Update 3 - Watch for nasty Trump tweets in 3…2…1…
It’s ridiculous. Feds have screwed this up big time. We are last on planet Earth in terms of affected countries having been tested. Literally last. It’s pathetic.
- Ok Boomer - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
St. Patty’s plus spring break travel, which for many begins next week will cause this virus to spread like wildfire.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:23 pm:
Really wish we had more widespread testing of this to give folks more peace of mind as well as better protect the public so people who have it know they should stay home.
I came down with some kind of respiratory infection in early Feb that I am still not 100% recovered from but testing me for coronavirus was never a thought when I went to promptcare in mid-Feb and it hasn’t been a consideration for any of my family members (child, senior citizen mom, husband) as they have gone to the doctor for respiratory infections since then either. In my experience, unless you say you traveled abroad there is not any discussion from medical providers about coronavirus. At least not in Downstate Illinois.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:24 pm:
=== Patty’s===
Paddy’s. Patrick will thank you.
To the post,
=== Gov. Pritzker said he’s been in close communications with the mayor about St. Patrick’s Day and the mayor is talking with parade organizers. Pritzker said they may be making announcements tomorrow “about any decision that could be made.”===
This is putting off a decision.
This situation is not going to get “better” by this time tomorrow.
At some point, it’s not leading… be deferral to smooth feelings.
I’m confused at this point what certain things either way will solidify an answer.
This is not a great response to that question, even if it’s brutally honest.
- Downstate - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:32 pm:
The decisioning on closing schools, businesses, etc. is really not driven by superintendents, owners or elected leaders. The decision is driven by the threat of litigation driven by perceived liability.
If I’m the President of a University, and I chose not to close my school, even one student death creates untold financial liability for my entity. Hence, once one school, business or public office closes, the rest are almost compelled to.
It would be interesting if we tracked and gave media attention to Influenza A or B, and related deaths.
- illinifan - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:32 pm:
Totally crazy process to be approved for testing, followed by too long of a time to get results. Friends in Germany had results in 24 hours. Identify and contain. People are showing ERs which do not have the tests and potentially affect other people in the space and our health care workers. It is time to establish defined testing locations and get approval from CDC to use independent testing labs.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:35 pm:
=== It would be interesting if…===
When they shutdown a country like Italy, get back to us.
(Sigh)
- MCO Employee - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:35 pm:
And yet the state’s medicaid managed care organizations continue to host events throughout the state inviting thousands of the state’s most vulnerable people to attend.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:35 pm:
It is absolutely wrong not enough testing equipment but I am unsure who and when you test. If it takes two weeks to show up does that mean you are not contagious until it shows up? And supposedly people get a mild form and don’t realize they are sick so would not get tested. Are they contagious too even though mild? Would you just test everyone sat in nursing home or wait for symptoms. What about jails and prisons that will be a mess.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:39 pm:
@Downstate- and you have how much experience with running a school?
This illness is not impacting kids particularly those under 19. I understand that adults work in them but closing schools is a terrible idea. CPS has closed three or four and I think it is a huge mistake which will increase issues not solve them.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:41 pm:
===CPS has closed three or four and I think it is a huge mistake ===
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:42 pm:
And here is good ol’ Rodney Davis joking about a Dem member of Congress getting coronavirus because he is old.
https://mobile.twitter.com/MEPFuller/status/1237466632928231436
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:42 pm:
==I think it is a huge mistake ==
I find that school officials don’t always exhibit common sense.
I agree that we shouldn’t be closing schools willy nilly. But, if you were to have schools located in an area that has a cluster of people infected then school officials would be negligent if they didn’t close the school.
- njt - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:43 pm:
===It would be interesting if we tracked and gave media attention to Influenza A or B, and related deaths.===
Do you not get a flu shot every year?
- The Bashful Raconteur - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:44 pm:
Over/under on legislative session redux - so my guess yesterday was end of April…..thinking someone will take the under and win it.
- Archpundit - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:45 pm:
-===This illness is not impacting kids particularly those under 19.
It’s not about individual health. It’s about community health. You need to bend the curve on as Rich points out with the graph above and Japan’s cases and you can see the ROK curve starting to change.
The point isn’t to stop anyone from getting it, but to slow transmission down so the health system can handle the load. If you don’t slow transmission, the health system will quickly be overloaded and more deaths will occur. It’s why there is an entire field called public health.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:47 pm:
11 confirmed cases yesterday, 19 today. If it doubles every two days…
- Groundhog Day - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:02 pm:
American Hospital Association predicting 490,000 deaths in the next 2 months in the US. Closing schools stops the kids, who blessedly are mildly affected, from spreading it around.
And having a parade is nuts.
- Hard D - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:05 pm:
Was only a matter of time before Pritzker was going to start blaming the federal government for not doing enough.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:06 pm:
===…start blaming the federal government for not doing enough.===
Do you think the federal government has?
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:10 pm:
=Was only a matter of time before Pritzker was going to start blaming the federal government for not doing enough.=
Do you think he’s wrong to do so? The Feds haven’t done squat. We’re woefully behind the rest of the civilized world when it comes to testing. And the guy at the top says to calm down, it’ll go away. Not very helpful.
- lakeside - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:11 pm:
===This illness is not impacting kids particularly those under 19.==
The kids still get it, and then they either give it to staff, who take it home, or to other kids, who take it home to their parents and grandparents. As Arch said, this is about trying to limit the community impact of this thing.
And, legit - Hard D - if you think the feds are doing enough when they couldn’t even tell us last night how many folks had been tested, boy have you drunk the kool-aid. You don’t have to dislike the president to see that they are paddling frantically in lots of different directions. That’s bad.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:14 pm:
===boy have you drunk the kool-aid===
Lot of that going around.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:25 pm:
- lakeside - explains it perfectly. The kids don’t always display symptoms, but they’re carriers and have the potential to spread the disease throughout the community via school contacts.
- Sonny - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:34 pm:
Doing mostly all the same things and expecting a different outcome is really not how to handle a pandemic. This is flipping soon from a leadership opportunity to an opportunity to be led and it’s going to be ugly.
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:35 pm:
Any results from our Sentinel surveys yet?
- lakeside - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:39 pm:
Thanks, Wensicia.
Exciting to think that with only, say, 50k deaths, we may finally be able get some traction on the importance of herd immunity and community contagion for folks that think vaccines are dumb or ‘just not worth it.’
[musical notes] It’s not about if *you* get sick. It’s about someone else’s grandma or kid with cancer. [/musical notes]
None of us have antibodies for this - and it’s going extremely badly. Just like measles will be in a few years if we don’t get it together and realize we are a community, not individual islands.
- Captain Obvious - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 5:41 pm:
If the state is going to cancel major events then should they not also close state offices? All those workers in the Thompson Center are just as much at risk as attendees at a major event like a conference or parade.
- ImHere - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 7:57 pm:
If JB doesnt put the kibosh on parades and other mass gatherings soon, he wont be able to pin the blame on the Feds any longer. And pro tip to our esteemed Governor - the Chicago St Pat’s parades all qualify under any definition of mass gatherings. It is utterly unnecessary and selfish to even hold the Spfld parade, let alone the insanity of holding multiple parades in Chicago.
- Pick a Name - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:06 pm:
So Groundhog, about May 10, about a half million people in the USA will die. Is that what you are stating the AHA says?
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 10:15 pm:
I am concerned about coronavirus. I just dont know what to do. But doesnt it tell you something about our priorities. Talking about cancelling schools, outdoor parades and business seminars. Yet the big ten tourney, NCAA games all ahead full. I am old an confused.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 12:32 am:
== All those workers in the Thompson Center are just as much at risk as attendees at a major event like a conference or parade.
Some of this depends on the amount of contact and the number of people in an office. But yes, some of the services should certainly be curtailed.
—-I am old an confused.
No, Blue Dog, you seem to have it pretty well understood. It’s just that no one wants to make those calls yet, but you seem to understand the basic issue.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 8:19 am:
=Yet the big ten tourney, NCAA games all ahead full. I am old an confused.=
There’s a series of dominoes that are falling and more to come. Some of this is rational and some of it isn’t. But each irrational decision will lead to another and then another. And at some point it won’t really matter. The virus is here. Be smart, wash your hands, hope you have a strong immune system, and more importantly hope that our state and federal governments get their act together. Along with a lot of other things, leadership is in short supply these days.
- yinn - Wednesday, Mar 11, 20 @ 9:19 am:
==Would you just test everyone sat in nursing home or wait for symptoms.==
Nursing homes in Illinois are supposed to be monitoring both residents and staff for fever and respiratory symptoms every day/shift. But what will actually be enforced in the face of chronic understaffing many facilities experience, and in older facilities where residents share rooms and would have trouble isolating, and where non-medical admissions people earn bonuses and/or are bullied by their hospital-led ACOs to admit people who pose risks to other residents. In short, logistical and financial realities could lead to some unfortunate decisions and outcomes.