Latinx Population Testing Positive For COVID-19 At Highest Rate In Illinois
CHICAGO – Illinois saw 2,270 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, bringing the state’s total to 68,232. 136 additional deaths in the last day brings the total fatalities to 2,974. The state’s Latinx population is becoming the hardest hit, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The Latinx community is testing positive for COVID-19 at the highest rate in Illinois, with a positivity rate of 60%. That’s 3 times higher than the state average. The population also has more than 40% of new COVID-19 cases in Illinois. Community leaders say many people work in essential parts of the economy and can’t stay home. – Lecia Bushak, Illinois Newsroom
COVID-19 Cases Increase At Meat Plant & Jump In Iroquois County
URBANA – Champaign County reported nine new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, for a total number of 217. Two of those cases are linked to the Rantoul Foods meat processing plant, which has now seen a total of 49 cases. Iroquois County reported 27 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, raising the total number of cases sharply, from 51 to 78. 20 of the 27 new cases are in their 70s or older. The Iroquois County Public Health Department said in a news release there would be no further details about the cases. The department also noted that tests had been conducted on 460 county residents to date. The Illinois Department of Public Health notes that as of May 1st, there had been two cases of COVID-19 at a nursing home in the county. – Jim Meadows, Illinois Newsroom
GOP Wants ‘Local’ Say In Pritzker’s COVID-19 Reopening Plan
SPRINGFIELD — House Republicans say Illinois’ pandemic control plan needs GOP input and have again urged the Democratic governor to convene the Legislature. Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday released a five-phase plan to reopen shuttered businesses and ease social distancing guidelines imposed to quell the coronavirus crisis. GOP lawmakers said Wednesday that Pritzker’s plan moves too slowly to save many businesses and take the state back to how it had been. Lawmakers haven’t met in session since early March, but say they could meet safely if they follow public health department guidelines. – Associated Press
ADL: White Supremacists Involved In Capitol Protests
SPRINGFIELD – White supremacist organizations infiltrated stay-at-home protests in Springfield and Chicago last week, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. David Goldenberg, the Midwest regional director of the ADL, says members of well-known extremist groups appear to have been at those protests. They held up signs featuring swastikas and other hate messages, including one at the state Capitol, which read “Heil, Pritzker.” – Maureen McKinney, NPR Illinois