Gov. JB Pritzker Shoots Down Suggestions Stay-At-Home Order Not Needed Downstate; 1,980 New Cases of COVID-19 Statewide, 50 Additional Deaths
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As Illinois surpassed 45,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, and approached 2,000 deaths statewide, Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday that some counties downstate have higher infection and mortality rates than Chicago and Cook County.
At his daily COVID-19 briefing on Monday, the governor said he wanted to take a moment to address any suggestion that the virus outbreak "is just a Chicago or a Cook County problem, and that downstate Illinois is immune, or doesn't need restrictions."
"That's just not how this virus operates," Pritzker said. "It's clear that some people are simply looking at the number of cases in the county, and not looking at the infection rate."
The governor said two of the five highest infection rates in Illinois are in Jasper County, about 90 miles south of Champaign, and in Randolph County, just south of St. Louis. Pritzker also said the counties with the two highest COVID-19 fatality rates per capita are Jasper County and Monroe County, also near St. Louis.
"That means you're more likely to die of COVID-19 if you live in either of those two counties than if you live in Chicago or Cook County," Pritzker said. "No matter where you live, I want you to be healthy and safe, and following the advice of the scientists and experts is what has kept people in every region of our state alive."
Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said Illinois has seen 1,980 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours, including 50 additional deaths. As of Monday afternoon, Illinois has a total of 45,883 cases in 96 counties, including 1,983 deaths.
Illinois now ranks 4th in the United States in total confirmed COVID-19 cases. Pritzker said that's in part due to greatly increased testing, with the state now conducting more than 10,000 tests per day for the past several days.
"Actually, it's a point of some pride what we've done on testing, but if you test more people – as we've said, there are lots and lots of people out there who do not know that they have coronavirus, because they haven't been tested – as you test more people, you're going to get more positive cases," the governor said.
Ezike noted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week updated the list of known symptoms of COVID-19. Previously, the CDC only noted fever, cough and shortness of breath as symptoms.
The agency has updated its list to include: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell. Shortness of breath has also been changed to "shortness of breath or difficulty breathing." The full list now is:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
A runny nose rarely occurs with COVID-19, and sneezing is still not a symptom of the virus.
Meantime, Pritzker apologized for any confusion he might have caused last week, when he said that his stay-at-home order had not required dental offices to close. The governor said, while his order allows dentist offices to stay open, the Illinois Department of Public Health has issued guidance that dentists should focus their work on emergency procedures only.
"That guidance remains in place. Dental procedures are high risk for dentists, and for their staff, and we're going to continue working with the medical experts as we move forward, but right now dental procedures should be limited to urgent health issues and emergencies," he said.
The governor also responded to a tweet from President Donald Trump, asking "Why should the people and taxpayers of America be bailing out poorly run states (like Illinois, as example) and cities, in all cases Democrat run and managed, when most of the other states are not looking for bailout help? I am open to discussing anything, but just asking?"
Pritzker noted that Illinois pays more in federal taxes than it gets back in the form of federal funding.
"So actually, the states who are being bailed out every year, year-in and year-out, are the states who take more out of the federal dole than they put in in taxes," Pritzker said. "Unlike Donald Trump, we proposed and passed and have effectuated a balanced budget for the year that we're in. Had it not been for coronavirus, we would have had actually a surplus in the state of Illinois."
The governor said all states now need some assistance from the federal government in the form of additional stimulus funding during the pandemic.
"Coronavirus, COVID-19, has blown a hole in every state budget all across the nation. There's not a single state that would not benefit from, or that does not need support from another CARES Act package," Pritzker said.
