(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- State health officials have announced a new batch of coronavirus cases in the state, raising the total to 19.
Two of the new cases are the first ones reported outside of Chicago and Cook County, the Illinois Department of Public Health said in a statement.
The cases include a Kane County woman in her 60s and a McHenry County teen, neither of whom have traveled or been in contact with a known coronavirus case.
Two new cases in Chicago have also been reported: two men in their 40s.
The other cases are in Cook County, and include a man in his 70s, a woman in her 60s, a woman in her 40s and a man in his 40s.
“As we anticipated, the number of cases in Illinois is increasing and now includes the first cases outside of Chicago and Cook County,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in the statement. “The State of Illinois continues to take action to reduce spread of COVID-19 in Illinois and we again want to encourage people to start thinking and preparing now in the event they are not able to go to work, if schools are closed, if public transportation is not available, and how else their lives will be disrupted by this outbreak.”
At least one case acquired the virus in the community, health officials said.
“As IDPH continues to conduct surveillance testing, additional cases will be identified, and we will have a better understanding about the amount of virus circulating in Illinois communities,” health officials said in the statement.
Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said as a precaution, the city is cutting back on some group activities for seniors, starting Wednesday.
"The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, which serves a lot of older adults with underlying conditions, will temporarily be suspending group classes and activities at the city's six regional senior centers and 15 senior satellite centers."