UPDATE on Wednesday, March 25, 2020: Carle says it can now provide sewing materials thanks to a generous donation. Email makeamask@carle.com with questions, or to arrange pickup of masks. CHAMPAIGN – Champaign county now has four confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the latest case announced today. Local health officials are saying everyone should consider themselves at…
URBANA – With schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Urbana School District is working to get information and resources to students in need. Some of those efforts are being led by Lucia Maldonado, the district’s Latino Parent Liaison. Maldonado says many Latino students and families in the Champaign-Urbana area are struggling from job…
Hospitals and clinics across east-central Illinois are seeing an uptick in calls from people concerned about the coronavirus. In response, many are developing online tools to help answer questions and determine whether people need to seek medical care. Carle Health System has created new coronavirus screening tools for people experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as…
Millions of American households this month will receive an invitation from the U.S. Census Bureau to participate in the 2020 census. Julie Dowling, chair of the Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Other Populations, and a professor of Latina/Latino studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says it’s important to get…
CHAMPAIGN – There are currently no known cases of COVID-19 in Champaign County, but tests are pending for 11 people, according to Julie Pryde, Administrator for the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.
URBANA – The chief nursing officer of the Carle Health System says Carle is receiving many questions about the novel coronavirus. People want to know how to protect themselves from COVID-19 and whether it’s wise to cancel travel plans. Elizabeth Angelo says in addition to the CDC guidance to avoid high-risk areas, she recommends people…
As the number of coronavirus cases continues to tick up nationwide, local public health workers are faced with the challenging task of ensuring those at…
URBANA – Health care providers in east-central Illinois say they’re prepared for the possibility of coronavirus coming to central Illinois. If someone’s sick enough — if they have a really high fever, if they have a really bad cough or chest pain — we’ll instruct them where to come. – Dr. Robert Healy OSF HealthCare’s…
URBANA – Starting this week, some patients who present to the emergency department at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana with flu-like symptoms will be tested for the coronavirus. Sample collection will be done at Carle, and testing will be conducted by the Illinois Department of Public Health, which is able to provide in-state testing for…
After Rebecca and Bruce Austin gave birth to their daughter, they struggled to get pregnant again. So they signed up to become foster parents. “I wouldn…
The coronavirus has not reached epidemic proportions in U.S. communities. But some public health officials are calling for federal funding immediately to help public health districts prepare. Julie Pryde, administrator at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and a member of the Illinois State Board of Health, said local public health districts across the state have…
SPRINGFIELD — With evidence that the coronavirus disease COVID-19 is spreading in several countries around the world, the Illinois Department of Public Health said it’s taking steps to limit any possible spread here. The virus is not spreading in communities in Illinois or the U.S. But CDC officials warned this week that Americans should prepare…
CHAMPAIGN — “That’s What She Said” will be taking the stage for its sixth installment this Saturday night at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign. Ten women from the Champaign-Urbana area will share personal stories in a monologue format. The She Said Project’s national director, Jenette Jurczyk, said every performance is “like a window and a…
URBANA – Researchers at the Cancer Center at Illinois have developed a new technique aimed at improving the way cancer diagnoses are performed. The approach combines an infrared laser, a high-resolution optical microscope and machine-learning algorithms to generate high-resolution images paired with detailed chemical information about the cells within a patient’s tumor.
State public health officials announced Tuesday that Illinois has become the first to conduct in-state testing for the 2019 novel coronavirus. Since mid-January, travelers coming from Wuhan, China, have been directed through one of five airports equipped to conduct screening, including O’Hare airport in Chicago. Travelers from Hubei province and other parts of mainland China may…