Illinois COVID-19 Update

May 11, 2020

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,266 new COVID-19 cases and 54 deaths. The total number of cases in the state is 79,007 in 98 counties, with a total of 3,459 deaths. IDPH says that in the past 24 hours, 12,441 specimens have been processed. Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past 24 hours were 4,319 patients. Of that figure, 1,248 patients are in ICU with 730 patients on ventilators.

Governor J.B. Pritzker is now holding his daily press briefings virtually due to a member of his senior staff testing positive for COVID-19. The Governor, along with approximately 20 staff members, will work from home during a home isolation period.

In his remarks, Governor Pritzker said that the state’s COVID-19 cases are now projected to peak in mid-June, not mid-May as initially expected. He said that pushing out the peak is a natural consequence of flattening the curve. The Governor noted that COVID-19 hospitalizations have not yet seen a significant decline.

Related to Restore Illinois, three of the four regions are on pace to meet all of the reopening metrics to move forward after the 28-day period: North-Central, Central and Southern. As of midnight, May 8, the Northeast region’s positivity rate is 22.3%, which is higher than the 20% cap on this metric to move into the next phase. The North-Central region is at 9.1%, the Central region at 6.0 % and the Southern region at 10.5%.

Chicago will open six new testing sites aimed at addressing disparities among black and brown residents and try to ramp up the city’s capacity ahead of a potential reopening, officials said Monday. One of the sites will open in the parking lot at the White Sox’s Guaranteed Rate Field in Bridgeport for asymptomatic first responders and healthcare and other essential workers. Other sites will be largely aimed at the city’s black and Latino communities, including Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy in Little Village, Dr. Jorge Prieto Math and Science Academies in Hanson Park, Kennedy-King College in Englewood, Senka Park in Gage Park and Gately Park in Pullman. Chicago officials will work with Community Organized Relief Effort and Curative-Korva to run the sites. They also will work with community groups to help with registration for tests.