One month since the start of Illinois' stay-at-home order, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the state climbed over 16,000, with a total of 16,422 cases reported.

In addition to 1,344 new cases on Thursday alone, 66 additional deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, lifting the death toll across the state to 528, health officials announced.

Cases have been reported in more than 80 of Illinois' 102 counties.

The rise comes after Illinois saw its largest single-day spike in infections and deaths Wednesday, but also as officials said numbers showed a "glimmer of hope."

"The rate at which they're increasing is less and that is a good sign," Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said. "We're not seeing the exponential growth we were seeing before."

Ezike said Wednesday it remains unclear when Illinois will reach its peak number of cases, though a recent projection estimated the peak could arrive this weekend.

"We're hoping that we're getting close to either the peak or the plateau," she said. "It's not clear how long that will be. It's really hard to get specific days like we're x days away from the peak, but we think we're heading in that direction and we will continue to follow the data and give you more as we get it."

April 9, 2020: One month since the start of Illinois’ stay-at-home order, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the state climbed over 16,000, with a total of 16,422 cases reported, Dr. Ngozi Ezike said.

Chicago on Thursday begins a citywide liquor sales curfew in an effort to stop congregations at area businesses selling alcohol.

"We are putting this curfew in place because too many individuals and businesses have been violating the stay-at-home order," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday.

The 9 p.m. curfew will remain in effect through the remainder of the statewide stay-at-home order, which lasts through April 30.

"We are not messing around with this," Lightfoot said.

Sicknesses caused by coronaviruses and allergens have overlapping symptoms, but there are differences between each that helps distinguish the COVID-19 and seasonal allergies.

Illinois has been working to bring once-shuttered hospitals back online and has transformed Chicago's McCormick Place convention center into an alternate care facility for hundreds of patients with mild symptoms.

Across Illinois and the country, Americans are being encouraged to wear masks or face coverings if they have to head outside.



