State: COVID-19 has killed more than 10,000 Illinoisans
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The 97 deaths related to coronavirus illness that public health officials reported Thursday took Illinois past a forbidding mark, more than 10,000 dead since the pandemic reached the state in February.
The grim total was accompanied by another - a single-day record of 9,935 fresh infections from the highly contagious and potentially deadly coronavirus.
The daily total outpaced the previous record, set Saturday, by a 26%. An autumn surge of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, that has hammered Illinois has made the last eight days' totals the eight highest during the outbreak.
'œI cannot stress (enough) how important your individual actions are right now. What you do, what we all do will determine how much worse the coming weeks will look,'ť Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at his daily coronavirus briefing in Chicago. 'œWe are seeing record numbers of new COVID-19 cases across the state. Our community transmission rates are at drastic levels.'ť
The 97 deaths are the largest number in a 24-hour period since June 4, at the tail end of a nightmarish spring that pushed health care resources to the brink.
Total cases in Illinois are now at 447,491. Among them, there have been 10,030 deaths, an average of 43.5 per day since the first fatality was reported on March 17.
Every one of the 11 COVID-19 monitoring regions, part of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's 'œRestore Illinois'ť plan, is under 'œresurgence mitigations'ť because of high test-positivity or hospitalization rates. Bar and restaurant service is limited to outdoors only and must stop at 11 p.m. Gathering are limited to 25 people or 25% of room capacity.
Pritzker said his Illinois Department of Public Health is considering additional restrictions on social interaction, 'œbecause the rise in cases and hospitalizations is unsustainable.'ť
There were 3,851 people hospitalized Thursday, an increase of 138% from a month earlier. The 772 patients in intensive care was a decrease of four from Wednesday, but marked a doubling of ICU patients in the past month, and ventilator usage stood at 343, up 120% in the past month.
But mayors and municipal leaders in several places have openly stated they will not enforce the restrictions because of the economic harm they do to local businesses. They are the very ones who have to step up, Pritzker said.
'œWe have got to get these rates of community transmission down, and the only way that's going to happen is if mayors and city councils and county boards across the state stand up and say, '~This needs to change,''ť Pritzker said. 'œFar too many local governments across the state are failing to enforce any mitigation measures, allowing this continued rise and positivity to balloon out of control. It's time to take some responsibility.'ť
In the state capital of Springfield, the city council approved in an emergency meeting Wednesday a $50 fine for people entering retail establishments without a face covering over nose and mouth to discourage transmission of the virus. Businesses could be fined $250 for not requiring customers to wear masks.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state public health director, issued a warning about the upcoming holiday season. Travel increases the risk of contracting the virus and passing it on. Large family gatherings should be sacrificed. The public health department has travel guidelines posted online.
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