The Latest
Numbers heading in “a concerning direction,” as state records its highest daily coronavirus death toll in over three months
Illinois suffered its highest daily coronavirus death toll in over three months on Wednesday, the average statewide testing positivity rate rose for a 10th consecutive day, and nearly 2,900 more cases of the deadly disease piled up.
With numbers heading in “a concerning direction” as the season turns, Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned “this virus isn’t taking a holiday. It only wants to find new hosts.”
“To date, Illinois has had relative success in keeping this virus at bay, and we’re still doing better than many of our neighbors, but we can’t let up,” the Democratic governor said at a weekly coronavirus briefing.
Read the full story by Mitchell Armentrout here.
News
7:30 a.m. New initiative seeks to transform health care on the South Side
Medical, community and religious leaders on the South Side are racing to build a new health care model to address chronic illness, poor access to treatment and a pandemic that is disproportionately hitting Black and Latino neighborhoods.
The coalition will seek millions of dollars in state money to fund what’s being called the South Side Health Transformation Project, an initiative led by University of Chicago, Advocate Trinity and St. Bernard hospitals to address the decades-old problem of an overwhelmed medical care system that’s been exasperated even more by COVID-19.
“Looking at the impact COVID has ravaged on our community, it spotlighted a lot of things we’ve known all over the years,” said Rashard Johnson, president of Advocate Trinity Hospital.
The three hospitals, working with community leaders, propose a system alongside area health clinics and social service organizations to build a preventative care network that would better utilize technology and create a group of community health workers to help guide patients, many of whom have chronic health conditions, toward the best treatment options. The plan also calls for hiring primary and specialty doctors and creates a shared database for patient records. The South Side has long had a large proportion of residents suffering from diabetes, asthma, heart conditions and other health issues, the plan’s advocates say.
Read the full story by Brett Chase here.
7:06 a.m. Bears OL coach Juan Castillo quarantining through Sunday
Bears offensive line coach Juan Castillo will quarantine away from the team through at least Sunday after he came into contact outside of Halas Hall with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus, coach Matt Nagy said Wednesday.
Castillo has not tested positive for the coronavirus, Nagy said. Castillo self-reported the contact. He was not present at practice Wednesday but will continue to coach the team with Zoom. He will not fly with the Bears to Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday to play the Panthers on Sunday.
Assistant offensive line coach Donovan Raiola will take his place on Sunday and during practices this week.
Saturday, the Bears placed rookie Badara Traore, a practice-squad offensive lineman, on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list. Since his test — which was taken Friday — no other Bears players have tested positive.
New cases
Analysis & Commentary
7:15 a.m. Every word Donald Trump speaks is best ignored when sizing up the dangers of COVID-19
The stupidity just keeps coming.
Hours after leaving the hospital on Monday of last week, President Trump tweeted that COVID-19 is “far less lethal” than the flu for “most populations.”
This is not true.
Two days later, he bragged that he probably would have bounced back from the virus even if he had not been treated with powerful drugs.
Doctors might disagree.
On Saturday, he claimed the virus is “disappearing.”
It is not. It is surging.
Read the full editorial by the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board.
