Governor JB Pritzker says communities need to follow state-issued COVID-19 safety rules.
He noted in his daily update on Tuesday that coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have been increasing in Illinois, with 6,516 new cases and 68 new COVID deaths reported on Tuesday.
“That is why local officials, that is why people all across the state need to stand up and make sure they are doing everything they can locally….state’s attorney’s, sheriff’s, law enforcement, elected leaders to enforce the rules here so we don’t end up with a terrible nightmare of a healthcare situation.”
Pritzker is upset with bars and restaurants vowing not to shut down indoor service as required under the latest mitigations, and some local officials refusing to enforce the requirement.
Four more deaths were reported in South Central Illinois on Tuesday. They included a female in her 90s in Clinton County who the local health department reports was tied to an outbreak in a long-term care facility. It is the county’s 32nd death. The Jefferson County Health Department is reporting a death in a male in his 70s which is the 44th in the county. State health officials are also reporting the death of a female in her 90s in Clay County which is their 15th death and a male in his 70s in Effingham County.
The State’s seven-day positivity rate is now at 8.2-percent. The Southern Illinois Region positivity dropped a tenth of a percent to 9.9-percent. Marion County’s rate is 9-percent. The Metro-East positivity rate increased a half percent to 10.2-percent. The East Central Illinois Rate increased four-tenths
of a percent to 9.9-percent.
The Clinton County Health Department reported 29 new positive cases on Tuesday. There are now 283 on home isolation and five who are hospitalized.
Jefferson County reported 25 new cases on Tuesday ranging in age from two male teens to four in their 70s, including one who is hospitalized.
Clay County had nine new cases, including their first student at North Clay school district.
Wayne County reported two new cases, a male in his 30s and a female in her 60s. There are now 81 active cases and three who are hospitalized.
