CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The state saw a huge spike of new coronavirus cases Saturday as Illinois battles a second surge of the virus.
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 6,161 new cases, which is a new record for single-day cases, along with 63 deaths. Seventeen of those deaths were in Cook County.
The state also reported over 83,000 tests were performed in the last 24 hours.
Saturday's numbers are a big jump from Friday, when the state saw 3,874 new cases and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the public health director, got emotional as she told Illinoisans to fight the fatigue and do better.
“My message to you is to stay strong," Ezike said at a press conference. "I've never run a marathon, but I have the utmost regard for those who've been able to train and plan and finish a marathon. But this is a difficult race when you can’t actually see the endpoint."
She urged Illinoisans to “fight the fatigue” of having to keep social distance and to wear masks, among other restrictions on their lives because of COVID-19.
Related
On Thursday, Mayor Lightfoot added new restrictions on bars and restaurants as cases have skyrocketed in the last week. She imposed a two-week "business curfew," that started Friday, which means that from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. restaurants may continue operating for take-out or delivery, but indoor or outdoor consumption of food or alcohol must stop at 10 p.m.
All other existing restrictions remain in place, including indoor capacity limits of 40 percent or 50 people within a room or space.
"And as with the first surge, exceptions will be made for essential businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurant delivery and takeout services," Lightfoot said.
Related
The seven-day statewide positivity for cases keeps going up and is now at 6.1%. In Chicago, it's even higher at 6.8% with an average of nearly 700 new cases a day, according to city data.
As of last night, 2,616 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19.
Saturday's new numbers bring the total coronavirus cases in Illinois to 370,194, including 9,481 deaths.