(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Here are latest developments in the coronavirus outbreak in Illinois on Tuesday, May 12, 2020:
- The Illinois peak of coronavirus cases may not happen until mid-June, Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday, conceding this will be "disheartening" to people who hoped the worst would be past by mid-May. Because the peak of cases may occur a month later, this presumably means it will take longer for the number of cases to bend downward and allow all regions of the state to reopen fully. MORE DETAILS HERE.
- NEW NUMBERS: The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,266 new cases and 54 deaths. That takes the state's overall known total to 79,007 cases, including 3,459 deaths. READ MORE HERE.
- Chicago police announced Monday 12 more cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of cases in the department to 502. Of the confirmed cases, 477 are officers and 25 are civilian employees. MORE DETAILS HERE.
- Elected officials and advocates are urging small business owners to be persistent in efforts to get government help during the coronavirus crisis, in spite of the problems. John Hope Bryant's organization, Operation Hope, helps people with financial literacy and administrative advice, and he's hearing complaints about the slow state websites and federal programs. DETAILS HERE.
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Monday the allocation of a third wave in CARES Act coronavirus relief funding. This wave totaling $1 billion is through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and includes nearly $39.3 million to Illinois. To date, HUD has provided over $3 billion in CDBG funding nationwide to help communities acutely combat coronavirus and alleviate economic hardship. READ MORE HERE.
- Some Chicago college students are getting a helping hand during the COVID-19 pandemic. City Colleges of Chicago said they are working to award eligible students $12.7 million in federal CARES Act funds. More than 22,000 City Colleges students are potentially eligible for CARES Act funds, and in a week, more than 8,000 students have submitted a statement of need form and are on their way to receiving federal funds. MORE DETAILS HERE.
- Financial technology, or fintech, has come into play, quite a bit, during the coronavirus outbreak. And during this time, there are questions as to whether cash could go the way of the dinosaurs. DETAILS HERE.
- A member of Governor Pritzker's senior staff tested positive for coronavirus late last week, his office said Monday, prompting all of the Governor's Office employees to work from home for an appropriate isolation period. READ MORE HERE.
- Mayor Lightfoot announced Monday that starting this week, Chicago will be launching six new testing sites across the city, enabling the city to begin its process of expanding testing from its current level of approximately 3,000 tests per day to 10,000 per day by the end of the month. MORE DETAILS HERE.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. Stay tuned to WBBM Newsradio where we will remain live, local, and committed to bringing you the latest information during this outbreak. >>LISTEN LIVE!
