Gov. Pritzker encourages residents to follow COVID-19 mitigations, donate blood
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 10,959 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19.
Public health officials also reported 192 additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths, raising that total to 12,830. The state’s confirmed coronavirus total rose to 759,562.
The latest daily number of COVID-19 infection was the result of 106,778 tests. The seven-day positivity for cases as a percent of total tests from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 is 8.2%.
Public health officials report 5,653 people were hospitalized late Monday with COVID-19, with 1,170 patients in intensive care units and 693 patients on ventilators.
“I don't know if there's any other thing that should be more powerful in people's minds about why they ought to follow the mitigations and stay home right now, then the number of people who are passing away,” said Gov. Pritzker.
During a news conference on Thursday, Gov. Pritzker encouraged people to donate blood amid the pandemic.
“It's normally difficult to get blood donations around the holidays, but the pandemic has made it even harder to maintain an adequate blood supply,” said Pritzker.
The CEO of the Illinois Red Cross is asking anyone healthy and well to make an appointment.
“If you are fully recovered from COVID-19, your donation is also needed. You are needed to donate your plasma to help patients currently battling the virus,” said Celena Roldan, CEO of Illinois Red Cross.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, shared some positive news on the state's reinfection rate so far.
“We do not have a case yet here of documented reinfection, we will be able to know that and then we will find a way to represent that on our website,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike.