Illinois in line for $14.7 million from CDC for coronavirus fight

Illinois is in line to receive nearly $14.7 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support its response to the coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday.

"CDC is distributing this new funding extremely rapidly, as called for by Congress," HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a news release.

"Our state, local, tribal and territorial public health partners are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response. The action we are taking today will continue to support their efforts to increase public health capacity where it's needed most," CDC Director Robert R. Redfield said. "These funds will allow public health leaders to implement critical steps necessary to contain and mitigate spread of the virus in communities across the country."

The CDC is contacting state health officers to move forward with awarding more than $560 million to states, localities, territories, and tribes. CDC will use existing networks to reach out to state and local jurisdictions to access this initial funding.