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1,598 new cases, 23 additional deaths, 3.2 percent positivity rate

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* Press release…

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,598 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 23 additional confirmed deaths.

- Cook County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 3 females 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s
- DeKalb County: 1 female 90s
- DuPage County: 1 female 50s
- Kane County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
- Knox County: 1 female 70s
- Lake County: 1 female 70s
- McHenry County: 1 male 50s
- Montgomery County: 1 female 100+
- St. Clair County: 1 female 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 165,301 cases, including 7,347 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 39,633 specimens for a total of 2,348,487. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from July 15 –July 21 is 3.2%. As of last night, 1,456 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 337 patients were in the ICU and 132 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

…Adding… Press release…

As the state continues to build out a robust COVID-19 testing and tracing infrastructure, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for public health organizations to assist with contact tracing efforts.

Through the NOFO, IDPH will award a grant to one organization in each of the nine regions outlined in Governor Pritzker’s COVID-19 resurgence mitigation plan, with Cook County and Chicago standing up their own contact tracing programs with community organizations. Each of these nine organizations will serve as coordinators in their region, awarding sub-grants to community-based organizations in their region who can most effectively conduct tracing, education and outreach in their communities. The NOFO will be available on the IDPH website on Friday, July 24, 2020.

“Today I’m proud to announce that applications for community-based organizations to obtain funding through IDPH to collaborate with local health departments will open on Friday. This opportunity – called the COVID-19 Pandemic Health Navigator Program – is geared toward organizations able to serve as coordinators for their region, sub-awarding to other agencies, across three main areas of work: education and outreach, contact tracing, and resource coordination for those who need to isolate,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Because Chicago and its immediate suburbs are running their own community programs, these partnerships will be with regional leaders outside of Cook County. Most important to our ability to minimize outbreaks is the efforts of everyday people to do their part: if one of our statewide force of 1,600 contact tracers calls you, please answer.”

The funding will assist organizations in contact tracing efforts through the following three areas:

1. Provide education and outreach to promote everyday preventive actions to help slow the spread of COVID-19, as well as identify populations at greater risk of infection, and provide information to breakdown myths and rumors.
2. Conduct contact tracing through interviews and provide follow up information for close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
3. Coordinate resources, such as food, laundry, and even housing if needed, for cases or close contacts of cases who need to isolate or quarantine.

Expanding contact tracing efforts on a regional level will allow local organizations to serve as coordinators for their community and give them the ability to grant funds to other local agencies. To apply, an organization must be a GATA (Grant Accountability and Transparency Act) certified tax-exempt organization.

“By working with established community-based organizations, we are hoping to reach people who may be at higher risk of infection, but hesitant to talk with health officials,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “We need people who are trusted in communities across the state to let people who have been in close contact with a confirmed case know that they need to monitor their health and take steps to potentially prevent spread of the virus to their family, friends, co-workers, and other community members. This is how we will help prevent outbreaks and the need to close businesses or institute other temporary restrictions.”

IDPH continues to work closely with local health departments in Illinois. Currently, the department has executed grant agreements with 57 local health departments across the state, about 60 percent of all local health departments, to enhance contact tracing efforts. These local health departments will receive $50 million in contact tracing funding over the next two weeks. IDPH is also finalizing agreements with the remaining 40 local health departments. In total, grants to local health departments for contact tracing amount to more than $215 million.

More than 1,600 contact tracers are currently available in Illinois. The number of staff needed to conduct contact tracing varies depending on several factors, including:

• Number of people seeking medical care or testing
• Number of new cases per day
• Amount of time that has passed from when symptoms start to positive test results
• Number of contacts identified of each confirmed case
• How quickly patients are isolated, and contacts are notified and advised to stay home, self-monitor, and maintain social distance from others

In addition to grants, IDPH has contracted with a software application platform to ensure contact tracers across the state are collecting all the same information and in the same way. A virtual call center is also being established to ensure critical call information is accurately conveyed. Additionally, IDPH has enlisted Partners in Health (PIH) as a consultant to help build the contact tracing program in Illinois. PIH has received acclaim for their contact tracing work in Massachusetts and is providing IDPH with technical assistance, including lessons learned through working with jurisdictions nationwide.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:11 pm

Comments

Going the wrong way here…ugh

Comment by Jvslp Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:11 pm
Governor repeating false narrative about unidentified law enforcement in Portland. They were identified as Police and a numeric and alpha code known to their supervisors. They did not work with local law enforcement as they normally do because there was nothing competent left to work with. Fortunately that is not the case in Chicago. Apparently liberals have their own tin hat conspiracy theorists operating as well.

Comment by Matt Dillon Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:55 pm
=== They were identified as Police and a numeric and alpha code known to their supervisors. They did not work with local law enforcement as they normally do because there was nothing competent left to work with.===

That make ZERO sense.

Who are they?

The way your wrote that… it was a national “police” outside coordinations with locals.

And which branch, and if they’re not welcome, how’s that for a constitutional issue.

Are they pre-arresting? How does that work?

The Governor, and more importantly Mayor Lightfoot seems to be coordination with the USA’s office.

Ya can’t say the Portland thing is at all good from a law enforcement and legal perspective.

How can Republicans and Libertarians see Portland as “good” to rights?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:00 pm
===because there was nothing competent left to work with===

Yeah, right. The people who normally *guard buildings* were so much more qualified to do police work.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:01 pm
Portland Mayor and US Attorney for Oregon requested the national guard at the beginning of last month from the Governor who denied the request multiple times.

The guard was supposed to guard the courthouses to free up local police.

It looks like the Governor of Oregon is the one playing politics and not standing up for rights and local control.

https://katu.com/news/local/mayor-asks-gov-brown-to-activate-national-guard-in-portland

Comment by 1st Ward Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:06 pm
Cubs Opening Night in Wrigley on Fri. Day baseball Sat. and Sun.

A lot of those bars will be able to stay open as they have food license. It’s going to be packed down there with the 25-35 year old set.

Hope the city keeps a close eye on it.

Comment by Helm Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:06 pm
=== Portland Mayor and US Attorney for Oregon requested the national guard at the beginning of last month from the Governor who denied the request multiple times.===

Clearly… clearly a state issue.

=== It looks like the Governor of Oregon is the one playing politics and not standing up for rights and local control.===

Explain the 10th Amendment.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:08 pm
===beginning of last month from the Governor who denied the request multiple times.===

Really? “Gov. Kate Brown sends 50 Oregon National Guard members, 100 state troopers to protect Portland” https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/06/governor-to-deploy-less-than-100-oregon-national-guard-to-portland-state-police-to-send-100-troopers.html

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:10 pm
Also “Pentagon Troubled By Overly Militarized Federal Agents in Portland” https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-07-21/pentagon-troubled-by-overly-militarized-federal-agents-in-portland

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:11 pm
Helm is right on about the bars around Wrigley Field. Legislature should increase the drinking age
to 30. Bars that allow underage drinkers should lose their liquor license.

Comment by Big Mike Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:15 pm
== and more importantly Mayor Lightfoot seems to be coordination with the USA’s office. ==

Yup

Comment by Matt Dillon Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:17 pm
=== Yup===

Now we wait and watch, and see how it goes, or if we find ourselves in another quandary.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:19 pm
Thus far Prtitzker and Lightfoot have been far wise enough to avoid the lawlessness in Seattle and Portland. They know if the Chicago ignites they will have to have the Feds.

I guess the question for those against Federal intervention, do you accept you just lose everything and risk bodily harm if they decide to take over your neighborhood or do you want the feds coming to help you?

Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:55 pm
=== I guess the question for those against Federal intervention, do you accept you just lose everything and risk bodily harm if they decide to take over your neighborhood or do you want the feds coming to help you?===

That’s is so Trumpian, authoritarian, so very against everything… constitutional.

“I guess the question for those *for* uninvited Federal intervention, when did you stop following constitutional norms and decide that fascist police intervention makes America great?”

Better.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:59 pm
She denied the request for armed guardsman to protect buildings. Per your article.

“Instead, she said she allowed 50 Guard members to be on standby near Portland, but noted that the city didn’t request their mobilization then”….”Wheeler later disputed the governor’s characterization, saying he and Portland Police Chief Jami Resch had specifically requested on Sunday for the National Guard to be called in for limited use to safeguard and defend buildings in the city, never to confront protesters.”

Comment by 1st Ward Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:00 pm
=== “Instead, she said she allowed 50 Guard members to be on standby near Portland, but noted that the city didn’t request their mobilization then”….”Wheeler later disputed the governor’s characterization, saying he and Portland Police Chief Jami Resch had specifically requested on Sunday for the National Guard to be called in for limited use to safeguard and defend buildings in the city, never to confront protesters.”===

Narrator: it’s still a state issue.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:01 pm
Perspective?

Tom Ridge.

Former Pennsylvania Governor, first Homeland Security Secretary, The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM, yesterday;

“The department was established to protect America from the ever-present threat of global terrorism. It was not established to be the president’s personal militia,” Ridge said.

…

“Had I been governor even now, I would welcome the opportunity to work with any federal agency to reduce crime and lawlessness in any of the cities, but I would tell you Michael, it would be a cold day in … before I would consent to an unilateral, uninvited intervention in one of my cities,” Ridge said.

…

Ridge also said he believes such a decision sends a bad message globally to see the federal government deploy agents to cities unilaterally.

Just *some* perspective.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:14 pm
Tom Ridge is also a Republican… to tie the bow.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:16 pm
I believe that there are some people mixed in with the protesters who would like to incite violence. My fear is that there will now be people with badges who also want violence. Bad combination.

In the 60’s i was at an antiwar rally where people tried to get the crowd moving. Others intervened and people stayed put. So I know the danger is real.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:25 pm
==I guess the question for those against Federal intervention, do you accept you just lose everything and risk bodily harm if they decide to take over your neighborhood or do you want the feds coming to help you?==

This comment could be used to justify anything. In this case it’s defending a literal Gestapo.

“Accept an unaccountable secret police roaming your streets, pro-actively arresting people or your neighborhood will be taken over.”

Comment by supplied_demand Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:31 pm
==I guess the question for those against Federal intervention, do you accept you just lose everything and risk bodily harm if they decide to take over your neighborhood or do you want the feds coming to help you?==

No that’s not the question. The murder per capita rate in Chicago doesn’t even put it in the top 30 of cities in the U.S. The question then is why would the President choose to focus on Chicago?

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/blog/highest-murder-rate-cities

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:41 pm
I’m not a fan of unilateral intervention.

Still, I think it’s worth noting that Chicago’s murder rate this year would put the city in that top 30 list, and the rate from the last 7 weeks would put us near the top.

Comment by ryan Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 3:51 pm
Bemused how this whole thread found its way into a daily Covid report. But, get the feeling that was Trump’s hope all along.

Comment by ZC Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 3:59 pm
Covid is rising across the country, the economy is teetering on the brink, and secret police are a coming attraction to a city near you. The most frightening aspect of this is that it all feels straight out of the playbook of how to drive the people to accept an authoritarian regime.

Comment by OK Boomer Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 4:22 pm
The one day positively rate was 4%. I don’t care about the 7 day average. It’s what is happening now that concerns me. 6 days ago is history.

Comment by Woody Thursday, Jul 23, 20 @ 3:16 pm