CHICAGO (WSIL) -- Illinois Governor JB Pritzker plans to sign a state disaster declaration on Wednesday that extends his stay at home order until the end of April.
That means schools and some businesses across the state will remain closed longer than initially expected.
“I have let the science guide our decisions and I’ve relied upon the top medical experts, scientists, public health researchers, epidemiologists, mathematicians and modelers, from the greatest institutions in the world whose guidance on infection rates and potential mortalities and protective measures is second to none,â€Â said Governor JB Pritzker.Ìý“Illinois has one of the strongest public health systems in the nation â€� but even so, we aren’t immune to this virusâ€� ability to push our existing capacity beyond its limit. We need to maintain our course and keep working to flatten the curve.â€�
On Tuesday, health officials announced 937 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois. 99 people statewide have now died from the coronavirus.
Governor Pritzker says about 35 percent of our total ICU beds are occupied by COVID patients and about 24 percent of our total ventilators are occupied by COVID patients.
For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email [email protected].
Medically trained professionals able to volunteer are asked to sign up at .
For all personal protective equipment (PPE) donations, email [email protected].
- Follow WSIL's full Coronavirus coverageÂ
- Latest closures and cancellationsÂ
- Sign up for COVID-19 updatesÂ
