CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today is announcing 14 more individuals in Illinois have tested positive at the IDPH laboratory for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“The State is taking aggressive measures to help limit the spread of the virus as the number of positive cases we report each day is increasing,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “The situation continues to evolve rapidly, and we want to get ahead of widespread community transmission to reduce the number of people affected. We would rather be over cautious than put the health of our most vulnerable populations at risk.”
Approximately 30% of the cases in Illinois are travel associated, about 41% are a contact of a COVID-19 case, and the remaining cases do not have a clear connection and could be the result of spread in the community. While the vast majority of cases are recovering, approximately 94% are in isolation either at home or in the hospital. At this time, there have been no deaths associated with COVID-19 in Illinois.
Among the 14 new cases, nine are Chicago, four Cook County, and one Lake County. New cases being reported today range in age from 20s to 90s.
Public health officials are still investigating the travel history of these individuals and any potential contact with a known COVID-19 case. Public health officials will identify and contact people who are considered close contacts of these cases.
It is very important for the public to implement personal preparedness to limit the spread of this virus. Protecting yourself and your family is a critical component to protecting our communities. Be mindful of those who are at greater risk for contracting this virus, including older adults and those with certain health conditions.
For information about how you, your school, workplace, and community can prepare, please visit Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities. For general questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
