Senior aide to Illinois governor tests positive for COVID-19

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and all senior administration officials will work from home for an undetermined period of time after an aide tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Monday statement.

Pritzker has twice tested negative, with the last test administered Sunday, according to his office. All other senior staff members also tested negative.

The employee, who tested positive late last week, showed no symptoms and was in close proximity to Pritzker. Roughly 20 members of the governor's administration have been working from a downtown Chicago building, where the first-term Democrat has an office and was holding daily news conferences.

All administration officials, including Pritzker, will follow Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines and work from home, according to the statement.

'œThe office will undergo deep cleaning, and staff are monitoring themselves for symptoms," said the statement. 'œ'The governor and staff will return to the office when IDPH deems appropriate.'ť

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or modest symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe life-threatening illness, including pneumonia, and death.

Since the start of the outbreak, 77,741 cases have been reported statewide, with 3,406 deaths.