CHAMPAIGN – The state of Illinois reported dozens of new COVID-19 cases, including two more in Champaign County and the first involving members of the University of Illinois System. On Saturday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 168 new cases of coronavirus. The total in the state stands at 753 cases, including people who…
CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has ordered the state’s residents to remain in their homes except for essential needs, joining similar efforts in California and New York to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Pritzker’s order announced Friday will still allow the state’s 12.6 million residents to seek essentials including groceries and medicine. The…
With testing kits in short supply, Champaign County health officials are limiting who meets the criteria to get tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Now, the priority will be given to hospitalized patients with severe acute lower respiratory illness, such as pneumonia, as well as people in vulnerable populations who live in…
Dawnal Mahan is an essential employee. She manages the cafeteria inside Chatham Elementary School, a kindergarten through fourth grade school in the small town located south of Springfield. While most teachers aren’t in the building, Mahan is still going to work each school day to prepare pre-packaged meals for students — including breakfast and lunch….
Coronavirus cases continue to climb throughout the Midwest, and American’s routines have been significantly disrupted amid the pandemic. President Trump…
Elementary and secondary school districts across Illinois are moving toward online or e-learning while students remain at home in an effort to contain the coronavirus. One district in southern Illinois has taken a unique approach to ensure every student has access to the internet. Belleville Township High School District 201, located outside St. Louis, is…
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…
Many bars and restaurants in the Midwest face an unprecedented crisis, after being ordered by some states to close due to coronavirus fears. The…
Elementary and secondary schools in Illinois are closed through at least March 30 to slow the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. The Illinois State Board of Education says those days won’t count toward student instruction. Caregivers and parents can still provide educational instruction to children at home, however. Numerous online…
As Midwest states limit large gatherings to halt the spread of coronavirus, religious groups have had to adjust. Some congregations are cancelling…
Champaign County is among the 13 Illinois counties now reporting cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The patient is a Champaign County woman in her fifties. In announcing the case Sunday afternoon, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District said she was tested for COVID-19 at Carle Hospital in Urbana, based on her symptoms…
Click here for resources & more stories from the Coronavirus Info Center. CHAMPAIGN – On Sunday afternoon, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District announced the first case of COVID-19 in Champaign County. Health officials said the patient is a woman in her 50’s. She is in home isolation and recovering. On Saturday, the number of Illinois…
COLES COUNTY – A patient has tested positive for COVID-19 in central Illinois, with at least one other case reported but not yet confirmed by state officials. Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System in Mattoon is confirming a positive test of an individual who came to the emergency room. “We knew in advance this person was…
The Illinois Department of Corrections announced Friday that visitors will be temporarily barred from the state’s correctional facilities in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Prison officials say they haven’t identified any positive cases of coronavirus among staff or incarcerated people. IDOC Spokesperson Lindsey Hess says there are more than 50 men…
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.