CHICAGO — Eleven people in Illinois have tested positive for COVID-19, Gov. J.B. Pritzker confirmed in a news conference from Chicago Monday afternoon.
All of the cases are in Cook County, which includes Chicago.
The two of the most recent cases include a woman in her 50s and a woman in her 70s who are related to a woman who also tested positive for COVID-19. That woman became infected while on a cruise. She's an employee at Vaughn Occupational High School, which is a school focused on helping students with special needs.
Another recent case involves a woman in her 50s from California who traveled to Illinois. And the other most recent case involves a woman in her 70s who went on an Egyptian cruise that's been linked to several coronavirus cases.
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All four of the women in these newest cases are reported to be in good condition, Illinois state officials confirmed Monday afternoon.
The seventh patient in Illinois to test positive is in serious condition, state health officials said, offering their thoughts and prayers for the man.
The first two patients have recovered and did not spread it to anyone else, health officials believe.
The rest of the patients are still in isolation either at home or in a hospital.
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Out of the state's 11 cases of confirmed coronavirus, 10 of them involve patients getting the virus from a relative or while engaging in an activity known to be a high-risk situation, like going on a cruise, state leaders said.
One patient tested positive for COVID-19 from within the Cook County community, which state leaders said shows the virus is "not circulating widely" in the area at this time.
On Monday, the state also issued a disaster proclamation, which is Illinois' method of declaring a state of emergency. Illinois is now the 14th state to do so.
Gov. Pritzker called the proclamation an "operational procedure" that opens up Illinois to receive more state and federal resources and tools in how it handles coronavirus cases. The proclamation also would allow Illinois to be eligible to receive federal reimbursement.
“As we’ve said from the beginning, the state of Illinois will use every tool at our disposal to respond to this virus, and this is the next step in that commitment,” Gov. Pritzker said. “We stand ready to put the full weight of state government in preparation for a full-fledged response when needed and will continue to update the public regularly, responsibly and honestly as the situation evolves.”
The move opens up Illinois' State Emergency Operations Center, which will allow key decision-makers from across the state to come together to work on how resources will be used.
Illinois has set up a hotline and email address residents can reach out to with their coronavirus concerns and questions. The state's COVID-19 hotline is 1-800-889-3931. The email address is dph.sickZ@illinois.gov.