Illinois officials on Tuesday reported another 176 COVID-19 deaths — the highest daily count the state has seen since the pandemic began — as Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced plans for a phased reopening of Illinois’ economy on a region-by-region basis.
The state is already in the second phase of a five-phase plan “guided by public health metrics designed to provide a framework for reopening businesses, education, and recreational activities in each phase,” according to Pritzker’s office.
That means the curve of the pandemic is flattening. The governor’s “Restore Illinois” plan divides the state into four regions: Northeast Illinois, North Central Illinois, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois.
To get to the third phase, a region “must be at or under a 20% test positivity rate and increasing by no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period.” It must also show a “stability” in hospital admissions in the last 28 days and 14% of ICU beds available.
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If a region gets to that third “recovery phase,” then more offices, stores, barbershops and salons could reopen to the public with capacity and other limits and safety precautions. Face coverings and social distancing would still be “the norm.”
But Pritzker’s plan “can and will be updated as research and science develop,” officials said.
“This data driven approach follows the best epidemiological recommendations, but it’s also inspired by people across our state who carry real passion to make sure that their communities can begin thriving again, even in the face of this pandemic,” Pritzker said.
Deadliest day
The state previously saw a record-high 144 deaths on April 28. But Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office warned the latest toll of 176 might include some fatalities from the weekend. Both death and case totals have tended to be lower on Mondays, due to slower reporting from some counties.
Tuesday’s total is well above peak range that has been projected by Pritzker’s office, which suggested Illinois would remain in a death peak into “early May” with 50 to 150 deaths a day.
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With the additional deaths, there have now been 2,838 killed by the coronavirus in Illinois. The virus is in 97 of the state’s 102 counties. And at least 70,000 deaths have been reported in the U.S.
Officials also confirmed 2,122 new cases, bringing the state’s total to 65,962. The state received 13,139 test results on Monday. In total, there have been more than 346,000 tests performed in Illinois.
Hospitalization numbers increased from Sunday at midnight to Monday, according to Pritzker’s office. There were 34 more COVID-19 patients in the ICU, 17 more ventilators being used by COVID-19 patients and 287 more people in the state’s hospital for COVID-19.
Tuesday’s high death count comes as many in the state and nation are urging their local leaders to reopen more of its businesses.
Pritzker’s extended stay-at-home order began on May 1 and eased some restrictions in certain regions of the state. It also requires Illinoisans to wear face coverings in stores.
