Statewide cases of coronavirus close in on 21,000

Posted on April 12, 2020

 

Numbers in Illinois continue to increase (Photo Pixabay)

 

By Katherine Murphy

Cases of coronavirus continue to climb in Illinois.

Governor Pritzker announced the increase at his daily briefing Sunday afternoon.

With 7,956 tests completed in the last 24 hours the governor reported there are 1,672 new cases of COVID-19 and 43 new deaths.

That brings the state totals to 20,852 confirmed cases and 720 lives lost in 86 of Illinois’ 102 counties.

In McLean County the health department says there are two new confirmed cases but no additional deaths bringing the county’s numbers to 77 confirmed with two deaths.

Of those 77 cases, 44 have recovered, 28 are isolating at home and 3 are hospitalized.

Katherine Murphy can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…