Illinois COVID 19 update today: It’s on the verge of new shutdown, Pritzker warns, as state reports 12,702 new cases, 43 deaths

CHICAGO (WLS) – Governor JB Pritzker has warned Illinois may be on the verge of having to shut down again as state public health officials reported 12,702 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, a one-day record and 43 deaths on Thursday.

RELATED: Mayor Lightfoot Issues Notice of Stay at COVID-19 Chicago Home

The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 536,542, with a total of 10,477 deaths.
Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 100,617 specimens, for a total of 8,765,100.

The state-wide seven-day pre-test positivity from Nov.5 to Nov.11 is 13.9%.

As of Wednesday evening, 5,258 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, including 956 in intensive care and 438 patients on ventilators.

WATCH: Governor Pritzker discusses Thanksgiving safety during pandemic

Gov. Pritzker has said Chicago’s handling of the pandemic should be a model for the rest of the state and threatened that if things don’t improve statewide, another lockdown may be the only option who stays.

Illinois is seeing worse projections than it has seen this spring, Pritzker said. The state is better prepared with stocks of PPE, better testing, and overflow capacity plans for hospitals. But even still, some form of mandatory stay-at-home order is not off the table, he said.

“The numbers don’t lie,” Governor Pritzker said. “If things don’t change in the next few days, we’ll quickly reach the point where some form of mandatory stay-at-home order will be all I have left. With every fiber of my being, I don’t want us to make it happen. But for now, it looks like where we are going. “

Better and healthier days will come, Governor Pritzker believes, but they are not here just yet. Illinois is grappling with an increase in the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to move in the wrong direction.

The governor had a simple question for elected leaders who remain defiant and refuse to implement state directives.

“Those who have bluntly told businesses in their communities to ignore what their local and national public health departments and experts, some of the best in the country, are telling them: what does it take for you to be part of it? solution? ”Pritzker asked.

Some suburban businesses, like the Capri restaurant in Burr Ridge, fear losing everything if the state continues to tighten restrictions.

“It’s my livelihood. That’s all I know,” said Capri’s Gigi Rovito. “What worries me are my employees, my customers, and I don’t think we could recover if we have to make another stop and close the restaurant.

The governor also recommended that anyone planning to travel or host Thanksgiving self-quarantine for the next two weeks. He also reiterated the need for people to stay home as much as possible for the next three weeks.

The big concern right now is hospitalizations related to COVID-19. Silver Cross in New Lenox reports 108 patients, the highest number they have seen in the pandemic. This problem is seen statewide, with a record 5,259 people now with the virus requiring hospital care.

“We never saw that number in the first wave,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. “This is an absolute record, and I tell you that number will only increase depending on the number of cases that we have identified over the past few weeks.

Governor Pritzker said the state must also expand testing, as people continue to queue.

“So over the weekend we are increasing the capacity of our most visited locations, Aurora, Arlington Heights and Harwood Heights,” said Pritzker.

Pritzker also announced that the state will launch an awareness campaign called “Healthy Holidays” on TV, radio, billboards and more to encourage people to wear masks and practice social distancing. .

WATCH: Illinois public health officials urge residents to stay home for next 3 weeks

The Illinois Department of Public Health calls on residents to work from home if possible, leaving their homes only for essential activities – like shopping for groceries, visiting a pharmacy, or taking a COVID-19 test – to limit travel, especially in areas with high positivity rates and limit gatherings – even in small groups – that mix households, including on Thanksgiving.

Residents are responding in massive fashion, with queues for COVID-19, with test sites expanding every day. Hundreds of cars were lined up for a test at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, Arlington Racecourse and Harwood Heights.

Along with Pritzker’s new recommendations limiting activity outside the home, there are also new restrictions on bars and restaurants in some mountain pass counties.

WATCH: Stricter COVID-19 restrictions take effect in 4 suburban counties

RELATED: COVID-19 Myths Shattered: Masks, Indoor Transmission, Cold Weather, etc.

The deaths reported Thursday included:

-Adams County: 1 80s man
– Brown County: 1 man from the 90s
– Bureau County: 1 man from the 90s
– County of Clinton: 1 man 50 years old, 3 women 80 years old, 1 man 80 years old, 1 man 90 years old

– Cook County: 1 woman 50 years old, 2 men 50 years old, 1 woman 70 years old, 2 men 70 years old, 1 woman 80 years old, 1 man 80 years old
– DeKalb County: 1 man 50 years old
– DuPage County: 1 man from the 70s, 2 men from the 80s
– Edwards County: 1 man from the 1970s
– Fulton County: 1 man from the 1970s
– County Knox: 1 man from the 1980s
– Lake County: 1 man from the 70s, 2 women from the 80s
– County of LaSalle: 1 man from the 80s
– County of Macon: 1 man from the 80s
– Montgomery County: 1 60s man, 1 80s woman
– Morgan County: 1 man 50 years old
– Peoria County: 1 woman from the 70s, 1 woman from the 90s
– County of St. Clair: 1 man from the 80s
– Tazewell County: 1 man from the 80s
– Vermilion County: 1 woman from the 90s
– Wayne County: 1 man from the 80s
– Whiteside County: 1 male 40, 1 female 70, 1 female 80
– Will County: 1 woman from the 1970s, 1 man from the 1980s