With 2,273 new COVID-19 cases, Dr. Ezike advises on how to be careful this Halloween

With new COVID-19 cases reaching 2,273 Wednesday and 35 more deaths, Illinois Department of Public Health officials encouraged parents to undertake a bloodcurdling task - persuading kids to celebrate Halloween at home this year.

But recognizing that many trick-or-treaters are likely to flood neighborhood streets virus or no virus and "rather than deny that reality," the agency is offering guidelines that include social distancing and wearing proper face coverings.

"A costume mask is not a substitute for a face covering," IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said at a briefing.

In addition, indoor haunted houses are prohibited, but outdoor ones are not. Authorities also warned against "crowded costume parties at home or at bars, which can absolutely increase your risk of getting COVID-19," Ezike said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois stands at 293,274 with 8,672 deaths. Wednesday's death toll included a Cook County woman in her 100s.

One piece of good news: The state is expected to receive several million BinaxNOW rapid virus tests from the federal government "starting in the next few days and arriving over the next two weeks," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.

The test takes about 15 minutes using a nasal swab to detect virus antigens, according to Lake County-based manufacturer Abbott. The test is expected to help colleges and schools detect virus cases.

"We're very excited to use these BinaxNOW tests and believe they will help build on the testing we already have," Pritzker said.

Illinois' virus test positivity rate is 3.6%, based on a seven-day average, and labs reported 58,546 tests in the last 24 hours.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Illinois hospitals was 1,632 as of Tuesday night, compared to the seven-day average of 1,584.

This Halloween, "we are encouraging people to find ways to celebrate that look a little different from in years past," Ezike said. She asked parents to "challenge yourself and your children on how to celebrate these holidays as safely as possible."

State recommendations include:

• Leaving individually wrapped candy, spaced apart, on a table outside.

• Washing hands before eating candy.

• Trick-or-treating only with people from your own household.

• Keeping 6 feet apart from others.

• Ensuring kids wearing face masks under Halloween masks are comfortable and able to breathe properly.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, however, warns people not to wear a cloth mask under a Halloween mask because it can make it hard to breathe. "Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask," the agency said.

At fall traditions like pumpkin patches or apple picking, visitors must wear masks and social-distance, and capacity limits apply.

Ezike also flagged an anomaly in virus test positivity results for the 21-county East Central Region that includes the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

This summer and fall, U of I began testing thousands of students and employees using a saliva-based virus test. The surge of tests on campus, constituting 20% of the state total, is affecting positivity rates in the region, which are in the 2% range and below Illinois' average.

But without Champaign County, the region's test rate skyrockets to 7.2%, Ezike said. As a result, the IDPH will monitor East Central test rates independent of Champaign County, and if those hit or exceed 8% for three days, restrictions, such as no indoor service at bars and restaurants, will be imposed on the entire area.

The 35 recent deaths included, in Cook County, one man in his 60s, a woman and man in their 80s, and a woman in her 100s; in DuPage County, a woman in her 80s; in Lake County, a man in his 70s, and in Will County, a woman and two men in their 70s.

Also Wednesday, Pritzker was asked about Speaker Michael Madigan's refusal to testify before an Illinois House committee investigating corruption involving ComEd. The utility admitted to hiring Madigan allies for jobs and contracts in exchange for favorable legislation that allowed rate hikes. The Democratic speaker has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.

"I strongly believe that the speaker should take any opportunity, and this is one, to present answers to the questions that I think all of us have," said Pritzker, a Democrat.