Pritzker to extend stay-home order, school closures through April 30

By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com

People in Illinois are being directed to continue staying home, and schools will continue to be closed for on-site instruction through April 30, Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday.

Pritzker made that announcement during a news conference Tuesday in Chicago as the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 937 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, including 26 additional deaths. That brings the totals to 5,994 cases and 99 deaths since the pandemic first struck Illinois, which now has impacted 54 counties.

There were 16 deaths reported in Cook County over the previous 24 hours; two in DuPage County; and one each in Lake, McLean, Morgan, St. Clair and Will counties.

In addition to extending the stay-at-home and school closure orders, Pritzker said he is taking steps to reduce the concentration of inmates being held in state prisons, where outbreaks have been reported. He said the Illinois Department of Corrections was reviewing the files of low-risk offenders to identify candidates for early release.

Pritzker also said the growing number of cases was beginning to put a strain on the state’s hospital capacity. As of Tuesday, he said, 35 percent of the state’s intensive care unit beds and 24 percent of all ventilators were occupied by COVID-19 patients.