Illinois now has 105 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 12 new cases in two new counties, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Monday.
“The numbers of cases are increasing each day, as is the number of locations,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said at a press conference in Springfield. “People should assume that this novel coronavirus is in their community, and take steps to protect themselves and reduce the spread.
Ezike urged residents who suspect they may have the virus to seek medical care “responsibly,” first by calling a medical provider.
“Not everyone needs to be tested for COVID-19,” she said.
In all, the 105 cases are located in 15 counties in Illinois. New cases have been identified for the first time in Peoria and Will counties.
At his daily news conference updating residents on the COVID-19 response, Gov. J.B. Pritzker again said problems at the federal level had made the situation worse.
“Precious time has been lost because the White House made some bad decisions early on, which led to the current low levels of testing across the United States,” Pritzker said.
Other counties with cases include Clinton, Cook, Cumberland, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Sangamon, St. Clair, Whiteside, Winnebago, and Woodford counties.
“We know there is a lot of concern as the number of cases and locations increase,” Ezike was quoted as saying in a department statement released before the daily briefing.
“We want to make sure those at higher risk of severe illness are prioritized for testing and that they can receive the medical care they need. We ask those who have mild symptoms to stay home so the health care system is not overwhelmed.”
Check back for updates on this developing story.
