CHICAGO (KMOX/AP) - Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation Monday and announced there were four more positive cases of coronavirus in the state.
Issuing a disaster proclamation is the method of declaring a state of emergency in the state of Illinois, which allows the state to unlock additional federal resources and help the state prepare for the potential of further spread.
All four new cases are in "good condition" Pritzker says.
"The first two cases in the state announced last month have recovered without known transmission to additional individuals," according to a statement from Pritzker's office. "The remaining patients are in isolation either at home or in a hospital. As with every case, our federal, state, county and hospital-level public health officials are working to actively identify any individuals who came into contact with the patients."
Thirteen states across the United States have also entered disaster proclamation or state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, according to the statement.
These new positive cases bring the total number to 11 in Illinois.
Health officials said Sunday that a hospitalized Chicago man in his 60s is believed to be Illinois’ first community transmission case of COVID-19.
The man, in serious condition, had not traveled recently.
“As we have enhanced our surveillance efforts and begun testing more people, we expected to find more cases, and I expect that we will continue to identify cases in the days and weeks to come,” said Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a statement.
She said the news doesn’t indicate widespread transmission in Chicago, but anyone with fever, cough and respiratory symptoms should stay home.
The first six cases, including two married couples, involved people who’d traveled, including a a special education assistant at a Chicago high school. Health officials said students, staff, and visitors to Jacqueline B. Vaughn Occupational High School were being asked to stay home out of precaution. No other cases linked to the school have been announced.
Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 100,000 people and killed more than 3,400. Most cases have been mild, and more than half of those infected have recovered.
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