Public Health Officials Announce 12
New Cases of Coronavirus Disease in Illinois
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[April 22, 2020]
SPRINGFIELD
- The Illinois Department of Public Health today announced 12 new
cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across Illinois. Two
additional counties are now reporting cases, Peoria and Will
counties. Other locations with cases include Chicago and Champaign,
Clinton, Cook, Cumberland, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Sangamon,
St. Clair, Whiteside, Winnebago, and Woodford counties.
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“We know there is a lot of concern as the number
of cases and locations increase,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
“However, not everyone who has respiratory symptoms like cough and
shortness of breath needs to be tested. Similarly, not everyone who
is infected with novel coronavirus needs medical treatment. We want
to make sure those at higher risk of severe illness are prioritized
for testing and that they can receive the medical care they need. We
ask those who have mild symptoms to stay home so the health care
system is not overwhelmed.”
Information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild.
However, older people and people of all ages with severe chronic
medical conditions, like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes,
seem to be at higher risk of developing serious illness. It is
crucial that we limit contact with older people and those with
certain health conditions.
Currently, IDPH is reporting 105 cases in 15 counties in Illinois.
Cases have occurred in all age ranges and the number of cases that
do not have a clear connection to travel or a known COVID-19 case is
increasing.
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Social distancing measures, such as working from home
when possible, limiting the amount of time spent in the community,
and trying to avoid public transportation as much as possible, will
help reduce the number of people who become sick at any given time
and the possibility of exhausting our health care resources.
For information about how you, your school, workplace, and community
can prepare, please visit Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities.
For general questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at
1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
A list of local health departments can be found on the IDPH website.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |