ILLINOIS, USA — After expressing concern about rising, confirmed coronavirus cases in the state and nationwide Monday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is now scheduled to give a daily COVID-19 briefing.
Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced COVID-19 resurgence mitigations for Region 7 (Will and Kankakee Counties) and Region 8 (Kane and DuPage Counties) starting Friday, Oct. 23. Indoor dining and bar service will not be allowed and gatherings will be limited to 25 people.
"We are seeing a national surge in cases that is affecting every state around us in a dramatic way and in Illinois we are seeing the numbers go up, literally, all across the state," Pritzker said.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike with the Illinois Health Department said the state is not attempting to target bars and restaurants but when contact tracing is conducted, those who tested positive for COVID-19 typically contracted the virus either at school, work or at a restaurant or bar.
Pritzker said he still thinks messaging works as Illinois residents and the American people face 'COVID fatigue.'
"The truth is as time has gone on, lots and lots of people know somebody who has gotten sick from COVID-19," Pritzker said. "They looked at Cook County... and said that's a problem for them. It wasn't effecting them directly in their communities.
"Chicago has one of the lower positivity rates in the state and it's the rural areas of the state that have the highest positivity rates," Pritzker said. "You're seeing that in Wisconsin, you're seeing that in Iowa, you're seeing that in Indiana. Although people feel fatigue from all of this... the truth is we are going to have to tough this out just a little bit longer."
