The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,585 new cases of COVID-19 statewide on Saturday, and an additional 125 deaths. The total number of cases across Illinois stands at 29,160 cases with 1,259 deaths across 93 of the state’s 102 counties. Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced during a news conference Saturday that the state has yet to reach the peak of the pandemic. The state reported a record number of new cases on Friday: 1,842. Pritzker says he’s particularly concerned about increasing infection rates in rural parts of Illinois.
“The rate of ascent in rural areas has caught up with and even surpassed the rate of ascent in urban areas,” Pritzker says.
He says the state can begin to consider reopening parts of its economy after 14 days of declines in case numbers and hospitalizations.
“The concern here is trying to balance protecting people’s health and safety with trying to protect people’s livelihoods,” Pritzker says.
Several counties in central Illinois reported one day increases in COVID-19 cases.
Champaign County is now reporting a total of 94 cases — including one new case since Friday — and four deaths.
Macon County is now reporting a total of 54 cases — including eight new cases since Friday — with 36 cases linked to the long-term senior care facility Fair Havens in Decatur. Seven residents have died at the facility. No other deaths in the county have been reported. One case of the virus is also linked to Villa Clara Post Acute, a nursing and rehabilitation center in Decatur.
Vermilion County is now reporting 10 total cases of COVID-19 — including one additional case since Friday.