CHICAGO, Ill. — Gov. J.B. Pritzker said that testing is important to understand the outbreak across the state and that some counties in the state are affected more by the virus.
The governor said testing helps identify the spread of the virus.
Illinois was the first state able to test for COVID-19. Beginning in Feb. labs could process around 50 tests a day. Now labs are testing around 2,000 specimens a day.
The National Guard has a drive-thru testing location in Chicago.
Pritzker said that over 180 of healthcare workers are ready to come out of retirement and join the front lines to help fight this virus.
“We can’t just test, we have to treat,” Pritzker said.
Without the stay-at-home order that has been put in place, the state would run out of ICU beds that would be needed and the health system would be overwhelmed. But, Pritzker said that is a worst case scenario without any precautions.
“We are not immune,” he said.
Increasing capacity is a goal of Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Another step is looking at hospitals that are currently closed, and reopen them for COVID-19 patients.
Pritzker said the difference between a regular ICU bed and a COVID-19 bed is a ventilator.
The White House announced that Illinois will receive 300 more ventilators.
Illinois is one of the states with the most confirmed cases of the virus.
Pritzker said a big question is how long will all of this last. He said that honestly it is not known yet.
“You can’t have a livelihood without a life,” Pritzker said.
Our economy will be revived, according to Pritzker.
There are 250 more confirmed cases across the state with 4 new deaths, bringing the total to 1,535 total confirmed cases, according to Dr. Ngozi Ezike with the IDPH.
“It takes all of us to counter this pandemic,” Ezike said.
The total of lives lost in Illinois due to COVID-19 is now at 16.
Sixteen percent of those who contract the virus require hospitalization, and 4% require being placed in ICU.
“Let’s do everything we can and prevent as many deaths as possible,” Ezike said.
