Chicago-area hospitals reinstate mask requirements amid rise in illnesses

CHICAGO - Some Chicago-area hospitals and health facilities are reinstating masking requirements as respiratory infections rise.

Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital all announced on Tuesday that patients, visitors, and staff must wear hospital-approved masks, including in clinical waiting areas and patient registration areas.

Nationally, emergency room visits for COVID-19 are up 12% and hospitalizations jumped about 17% in the past week.

The CDC says the spike is driven largely by the new JN1 strain, which is thought to be more contagious than previous variants.

The CDC also warns flu activity is rising rapidly. More than 7 million illnesses and 73,000 hospitalizations have been reported, so far, this season. Health experts say the increase is largely due to low vaccination rates.