CHICAGO — At Governor J.B. Pritzker’s daily COVID-19 briefing Saturday, the Illinois Department of Health announced 168 new cases in Illinois along with one new death.
The 168 new cases brings the total in Illinois to 753 cases across 26 counties.
The person who died was a Cook County man in his 70s.
Governor Pritzker reminded citizens of Illinois that essential businesses, such as grocery stores, will remain open through the shelter-in-place order.
“Please remember that the grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies will all be open tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday and everyday after that,” said Pritzker.
The shelter-in-place order goes into effect Saturday at 5 p.m. By staying at home during the order, Pritzker says that you are helping the community and those workers around you.
“You’ll be keeping the virus from spreading, and you’ll be helping the heroes who live and work in your neighborhoods,” Pritzker said.
The heroes that Pritzker referenced are the essential workers in communities such as workers at grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies.
Pritzker also announced his displeasure with the federal government and their promises of more testing becoming available.
“The federal government is like Lucy with the football, and I feel like Charlie Brown,” said Pritzker.
Pritzker said that the state was promised tests weeks ago in much greater numbers than have been actually provided thus far. He added that more tests are coming in but not in the numbers that were promised.
