CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Gov. J.B. Pritzker addressed Illinois' latest COVID-19 virus cases Monday afternoon during a press conference held at the Thompson Center downtown.
The two cases involve a married couple, both in their 70s, who tested positive for the coronavirus over the weekend, making them the third and fourth persons to test positive for the virus in Chicago.
The wife is quarantined at home and complying with health officials while her husband remains isolated at a Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, according to Illinois Director of Public Health Ngozi Ezike. Ezike, who joined Pritzker at the press conference, said the couple is in good condition and their test results will need to be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Across the world, they have been mostly in older and infirmed people. Our cases have all been above their 60s. We have seen that there's not the same kind of attack rate in younger populations under 19," she said of the demographics affected by the virus.
Pritzker continues to address the public on developments of the virus' spread, with him saying that we may hear from him alot.
The governor has requested that hospitals across the state implement additional testing to improve surveillance for coronavirus, and he announced two more Illinois Department of Public Health labs in central and southern Illinois that will be able to test specimens this week.
He reminds the public that in the first two cases of COVID-19, individuals were properly contained and have recovered fully from the virus. He also mentioned that the state will be overseeing insurance companies to make sure everyone has access to testing and care and preventing any price gouging by insurance companies.
Pritzker also announced he will be talking with the CEOs of the largest insurance companies in Illinois about the accessibility and affordability of testing and care.
Whether uninsured, fully insured or underinsured the governor said he wants to make sure that Illinoisans know their rights. The Office of Consumer Health Insurance is increasing its staffing and creating a hotline where people can also determine their insurance coverage.
The hotline number is (877) 527-9431. Visit the Illinoise Health Department's website for more information: www.dph.illinois.gov.
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