A senior member of Governor JB Pritzker’s staff has tested positive for COVID-19. A release from the governor’s office says the staff member had not displayed symptoms but tested positive late last week. The staff member was in close contact with the governor and other staff members. Pritzker and all staff members reporting to work in the office have tested negative. Pritzker would not identify the staff member but said that person’s recent whereabouts and contacts are being checked, and that staff member still is not displaying symptoms.
Governor JB Pritzker said the latest models show the COVID-19 pandemic will not peak in Illinois until mid-June. The previous model predicted a peak in late April or mid-May. The governor said daily death and hospitalization data over the past two and a half weeks led to the latest projection. Three of the four regions are on pace to meet the requirements to move to the third phase of the reopening plan on May 28. The Northeast region comprised of the Chicago area currently has a test positivity rate of 22.3 percent, higher than the 20-percent benchmark. Other test positivity rates are 10.5 percent in the Southern region, followed by North Central at 9.1 percent and Central at 6 percent. All regions have recorded lower hospitalizations since May 1.
The Illinois Department of Public Health’s Monday update reported 1,266 new COVID-19 cases with 12,441 tests processed over the previous 24 hours. An additional 54 deaths increase the state total to 3,459 out of 79,007 cases.
