14 new coronavirus cases in the Chicago area, including one in Lake County
With 14 more coronavirus-related cases in the state Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced seismic actions including closing schools temporarily and urging Illinoisans to stay home this weekend to prevent the disease's spread.
The tally of COVID-19 illnesses caused by the virus now stands at 46. One of the new cases is in Lake County, four are in Cook County, and nine are in Chicago, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said.
Pritzker's daily briefing occurred the same day President Donald Trump declared a national emergency but "we have long since passed the moment when we could count on the federal government to lead in the face of this unprecedented situation," the governor said in a stinging rebuke.
He also asked residents to "please this weekend - if you can - stay home," to tamp down the spread of the contagious disease. On Thursday, he recommended that all events with 250 or more people be canceled or postponed, and mandated it for events of 1,000 or more.
"If you are able to telework, do so. If you don't have to travel, don't," Pritzker said Friday.
"This isn't forever; this is a sacrifice in the short-term to help our hospitals, our health care workers and testing laboratories, and our elderly and vulnerable populations."
Ages of the 14 new patients range from people in their 20s to 90s.
The latest Lake County case is a woman in her 50s who traveled internationally before becoming ill, a Lake County Health Department spokeswoman said. No other details were disclosed, to protect the patient's privacy.
Public health officials are investigating if the newly diagnosed patients traveled to countries with COVID-19 epidemics or were exposed to known cases.
"Like it or not, this virus is here in Illinois and it will continue to spread," Ezike said.
"If we can decrease the rate at which we are seeing new infections, fewer people will be ill at the same time, which will help us to prevent the overwhelming of our health care system."
One of the patients from Cook County diagnosed with the virus before Friday is being treated at Elmhurst Hospital, Edward-Elmhurst spokesman Keith Hartenberger confirmed Friday. The patient, a woman in her 70s, is in serious condition, Hartenberger said.
Several Chicago research hospitals are developing their own tests for COVID-19 and those are going through a rapid FDA approval process, Pritzker said. "It's still not enough. The federal government needs to step up" and provide more tests, he said.
Public and private K-12 schools will close from Tuesday through March 30. Day-care centers will remain open for now but under "strict health and safety guidance," officials said.
Of the 46 cases in Illinois, a large majority are recovering with no deaths reported; 94% of patients are in the hospital or at home in isolation.
Pritzker also said he's working with utilities to prevent any service shutdowns involving people affected by COVID-19.
People who are healthy and under age 60 who contract COVID-19 are likely to experience symptoms similar to the common cold or flu.
Adults 60 and older or people with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk of suffering serious illness if infected, the Centers for Disease Control cautions.
Illinois authorities urged residents to follow common-sense precautions like frequently washing hands for 20 seconds at a time and to get a flu shot if you haven't already.