CHICAGO (AP) — People traveling from Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota to Chicago will have to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival or face possible fines starting Friday.
Chicago officials issued the quarantine order in early July. Initially, it applied to travelers from 15 states but has been updated weekly based on increasing numbers of confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
The latest expansion announced Tuesday brings the total number of affected states to 22.
Three of the five states bordering Illinois are included in the order; Iowa was listed in a previous update. Chicago officials acknowledged that Wisconsin's inclusion, though, could be more complicated.
Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of Chicago's Department of Public Health, said city residents who work in Wisconsin or vice versa can continue commuting if their job requires it but should otherwise limit their activities.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he doesn't plan to issue a similar order for travelers statewide. He has urged Illinois residents who visit other states for work or personal reasons to take precautions, including face coverings.
To comply with Chicago's order, travelers must stay at a single home or other dwelling for 14 days except to seek medical care or be tested for COVID-19.
The order also applies to city residents returning from a visit to a designated state.
Chicago officials have acknowledged there’s little way of broadly enforcing the order.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday that she was not aware of anyone who has been fined by the city for violating it. Arwady said public health officials can write tickets when they find people have violated the order.
