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Chicago Sun-Times: Illinois ‘getting ready for point where we can begin to reopen the economy,’ Pritzker says
Two days after hundreds of demonstrators in Chicago and Springfield protested a statewide stay-at-home order that has rendered hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans jobless in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state is now “getting ready for a point where we can begin to reopen the economy.”
During an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Pritzker said Sunday that Illinois has “really bent the curve significantly” while noting that hospitalizations have only been “increasing barely.”
Chicago Tribune: Governor: ‘No other way’ to curb coronavirus than to stay the course on stay-at-home restrictions
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Sunday announced 2,994 new cases of the coronavirus in Illinois, the second-highest daily total since the pandemic began. But the governor also said 19,417 new tests for the coronavirus were completed within the previous 24 hours through Sunday afternoon, the most screenings yet across the state.
As Chicagoans and Illinois residents enjoyed the second straight day of warm spring weather, the governor again implored people to adhere to the state’s stay-at-home order. With restrictions in place since mid-March, some weary residents drawn outside by ample sunshine and temperatures in the 70s began to stretch the boundaries or simply ignore the statewide rules.
State Journal-Register: Pritzker: COVID-19 scam artists will be caught, prosecuted
Gov. JB Pritzker reported 2,994 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois on Sunday along with 63 additional deaths.
There was a single-day record of 19,417 tests performed in the past 24 hours, the governor announced.
The Center Square: Pritzker says focus on Illinois’ COVID-19 positivity rate, not overall case numbers
As the state conducts more COVID-19 tests in one day than ever before, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the focus is on the infection rate.
Pritzker on Sunday announced in the past 24 hours there were more than 19,400 tests performed, the most performed in one day. Of those tests, the governor said there were nearly 3,000 positive cases added to the state’s total of nearly 61,500. But, he said to ignore the total number of tests, and focus on the positivity rate.