Illinois Coronavirus Update Aug. 6: 186,471 Cases, 7,573 Deaths

ILLINOIS — State health officials on Wednesday announced 1,759 new cases of the coronavirus and 30 additional deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, bringing the statewide total to 186,471 confirmed infections and 7,573 known deaths. Another 1,281 probable cases and 197 probable deaths are not included in the official totals.

The latest deaths include:

• Carroll County: 1 male 80s
• Clark County: 1 male 60s
• Coles County: 1 female 80s
• Cook County: 1 male 40s, 3 males 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
• DuPage County: 2 females 80s
• Gallatin County: 1 male 70s
• Jefferson County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
• Kane County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
• Lake County; 1 female 40s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
• LaSalle County 1 male 90s
• Rock Island County: 1 female 80s
• St. Clair County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
• Union County: 1 female 70s
• Will County: 1 male 50s
• Winnebago County: 1 male 90s

As of Tuesday night, 1,552 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state. Of those, 368 were in intensive care and 129 were on ventilators, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The statewide positive-test rate fell by a tenth of a percentage point from Monday. It now stands at 3.9 percent, up from a low of 2.4 percent last month. In the past 24 hours, labs in Illinois have processed 46,668 coronavirus tests, for a total of more than 2.8 million since the pandemic began. According to Johns Hopkins University, a positivity rate of less than 5 percent is a good measure of whether enough tests are being conducted.

Last week, Illinois public health director Ngozi Ezike made clear that the state is headed in the wrong direction.

"We are still having to make sacrifices, because this pandemic is not over. And each of us is called to make that personal sacrifice now to avoid making a much larger one down the road," Ezike said at a news conference with the governor. "The virus is not done with us, no matter how much we want to be done with it."

Ezike and Gov. J.B. Pritzker unveiled Monday a new $5 million media campaign to raise awareness and encourage the public to wear masks in public. The governor also raised the possibility of fines for anyone who refuses to wear a mask.

"People who refuse to wear a mask, people who are entering public premises … if they're absolutely refusing in public, they're putting other people at risk, so it's worthy of considering a fine at a local level," Pritzker said, noting that in countries with a high rate of mask compliance, coronavirus cases have dropped to "near zero."

The United States now has more than 4.8 million confirmed coronavirus infections, and at least 158,321 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Based on the latest predictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 168,000 to 182,000 Americans could be dead from the disease by Aug. 22.

Globally, more than 18.8 million people have been infected and 708,540 are known to have died.

Illinois Coronavirus Helpline:

Illinois officials say a state helpline has been set up to provide emotional support and quick answers to questions about the coronavirus pandemic. Illinoisans can test "TALK" to 55-2020 (or "HABLAR" for Spanish), and within 24 hours they will receive a call from a counselor. Residents can also text keywords such as "UNEMPLOYMENT," "FOOD" or "SHELTER," to the same number to receive additional information about those topics.

Here's what's happening with the coronavirus in Illinois:

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis Tests Positive For Coronavirus

The Taylorsville Republican becomes the first member of Congress from Illinois to contract the COVID-19 virus.

After Threat To Resume Restrictions, IL Mask Campaign Launched

On Thursday, Gov. Pritzker said one Illinois county is going in the "wrong direction" and could soon have restrictions put back in place.

Visitors To Chicago From Puerto Rico Must Quarantine, City Says

Starting Friday, visitors from the U.S. territory will join those from Missouri, Wisconsin and 20 other states under travel restrictions.

'White Trash Bash' Draws Hundreds As Coronavirus Cases Rise

Around 200 boats filled with even more maskless people showed up for the party along the Illinois River.

District 230 Teachers Protest In-Person Instruction This Fall

Teachers from D230 formed a vehicle caravan in opposition to heading back to classrooms this fall.

How Many D-86 Students Going Fully Remote?

School starts in less than two weeks at Hinsdale Central and South.

No Masks, No Distance: IL Wedding Pandemic Horrors For Vendors

"I truly love my brides and grooms, and then to be pressured to risk my life is extremely disappointing. I have an 80-year-old mom."

Kane County Coronavirus Cases Reach Highest Levels In 2 Months

The positivity rate in Region 8 — made up of Kane and DuPage counties — has risen from 3.6 percent to 4.7 percent since mid-July.

New Coronavirus Restrictions For Cook County Bars, Health Clubs

The guidance is in response to a new surge of coronavirus cases in suburban Cook County, particularly among young adults.

Elmhurst D-205 Union Says School Reopening Plan Will Fail

Teachers push fully remote learning, saying they have no faith in administrators' plan.

Hesed House Pleads For Funding To Avoid Homelessness Crisis

Without help from Kane County, more than 100 people could be forced to live on the streets during the pandemic and upcoming winter.

Coronavirus Positivity Rate On The Rise In Kendall County: IDPH

Among the counties in the former Northeast Region as per the governor's plan, Kendall County has the highest positivity rate of 6.8 percent.

Officials Urge Coronavirus Survivors To Donate Plasma, Save Lives

Kane County Health officials are calling on anyone who tested positive to donate their plasma to help those still fighting COVID-19.

District 131 Delays In-Person Classes Until Early November

East Aurora students won't return to classroom until Nov. 4 at the earliest, according to officials.

St. Charles District 303 Pushes Back School Year's Start

District 303 schools are set to operate on shortened schedules for the first three days of the new school year, which now starts Aug. 19.

West Aurora Schools Scrap In-Person Learning, Delay Start Date

District 129 would need to spend about $3.3 million to hire 55 new teachers if it used a hybrid learning model, its superintendent said.

Coronavirus by the numbers:

Illinois:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 186,471
• Deaths: 7,573
• People tested: 2,896,063
• Recovered: Illinois does not provide exact numbers of recovered cases, but says the recovery rate is 95 percent.

Nationwide:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 4,826,861
• Deaths: 158,321
• People tested: 58,920,975
• Recovered: 1,577,851

Global:

• Total number of coronavirus cases: 18,847,261
• Deaths: 708,540
• People tested: No data available
• Recovered: 11,394,076

Sources: Johns Hopkins University and IDPH

Tips from the CDC on dealing with coronavirus:

While the best way to prevent illness is to avoid virus exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generally recommends taking these actions to prevent the spread of viruses:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

What to do if you're sick:

Call head if you're planning to visit your doctor:

• If you have a medical appointment, call the health care provider and tell them that you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the health care provider's office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed.

Stay home unless you must see a doctor:

• Stay home: People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to isolate at home during their illness. You should restrict activities outside your home, except for getting medical care.
• Avoid public areas: Do not go to work, school, or public areas.
• Avoid public transportation: Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis.

Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home:

• Stay away from others: As much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.
• Limit contact with pets and animals: You should restrict contact with pets and other animals while you are sick with COVID-19, just as you would around other people. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus.
• When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick. If you are sick with COVID-19, avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked and sharing food. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with pets and wear a face mask. See COVID-19 and Animals for more information.

Avoid sharing personal household items:

• Do not share: You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home.
• Wash thoroughly after use: After using these items, they should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.

Masks:

• CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
• Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
• Face mask instructions — sew- and no-sew masks

To donate personal protective equipment (PPE), email PPE.donations@illinois.gov. For health questions about COVID-19, call the state coronavirus hotline at 800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.