Illinois officials reported 1,344 new known cases of the new coronavirus Thursday, including 66 more deaths. The statewide death toll is now 528 since the epidemic began. The total known COVID-19 case count is now 16,422, with cases reported in 81 of Illinois’ 102 counties.

The rate of rise in case counts is “looking less and less exponential,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at his daily briefing.


“This indicates to us that we are, in fact, bending the curve,” Pritzker said. “There is even some evidence that we may be moving toward a flatter curve. But we need to keep watching the data on a daily basis.”

Meanwhile, Pritzker cast doubt on this year’s summer festivals, saying that people should “think carefully about canceling large summer events.”


“From my perspective today, I do not see how we are going to have large gatherings of people again until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away," Pritzker said. “I would not risk having large groups of people getting together, anywhere. And I think that’s hard for everybody to hear, but that’s just a fact.”

Here are the latest updates Thursday on the new coronavirus in the Chicago area and Illinois:

7:16 p.m.: Chicago Park District partners with Illinois Soybean Association for hand sanitizer production

The Chicago Park District has found a creative solution to produce hand sanitizer: partner with Illinois farmers.

Faced with supply shortages, the Park District has teamed up with the Illinois Soybean Association to make hundreds of gallons of the now-coveted protective measure against COVID-19. The hand sanitizer will be used by Park District staff, as well as other workers deemed essential during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order. Read more here. —Morgan Greene

7:06 p.m.: Illinois scrambles to keep federal COVID-19 test sites running after Trump administration says states should take over

Illinois officials say they’re scrambling to take over several COVID-19 drive-thru screening sites after learning that the federal government is transferring dozens of these operations across the country to state control.

The state says it plans to take charge Friday of the federal testing sites, including one staffed by the Illinois National Guard on Chicago’s Northwest Side and another in Bloomington in central Illinois. There are also a few testing sites on Walmart properties that were privately managed under federal contracts, and the state is working to ensure those stay open as well, officials said. Read more here. —Angie Leventis Lourgos

6:35 p.m.: Illinois tenants make 10% fewer rent payments in April — but it suffered one of the lightest coronavirus blows

Almost 30% of tenants in the United States did not pay rent on time in April, but experts say the numbers could be as affected by this month’s calendar as the coronavirus pandemic.

Data from 13.4 million apartments across five real estate management software companies show 69% of renters made full or partial payments between April 1-5, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council rent tracker analysis. That’s down 13% from April 1-5, 2019, when 82% of tenants paid rent. In March, 81% made full or partial rent payments by April 5.

Illinois saw a drop in rent payments of 10.1%, from 83% of tenants making at least partially rent payments in April 2019 to 73% this year, placing it 12th among least impacted states, according to RealPage, one of the five participating companies, which each released supplemental data with the NMHC analysis. Alaska, New York, South Dakota, Delaware and Louisiana saw drops in rent payments of at least 20%.

However, experts are urging caution when considering numbers that might not be as bleak as they seem. During a Wednesday webinar, officials said April 5 falling on a Sunday — when fewer offices are open or processing payments — this year meant rent statistics for the whole month will likely look less dire. Read more here. —Ariel Cheung

6:13 p.m.: State police ease renewal requirements for FOID cards and concealed carry permits

The Illinois State Police on Thursday announced emergency rules easing renewal requirements for Firearm Owner Identification cards and concealed carry permits during the coronavirus pandemic.


Effective immediately, FOID cards and concealed carry permits will remain valid during the duration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s disaster proclamation and for 12 months after if the holders submit renewal applications, even if they weren’t submitted before the expiration date.

Concealed carry permit holders will not have to submit proof of the required three-hour training with their renewal applications and will have 12 months after the end of the disaster proclamation to submit proof of completing the training.

The state police will continue to enforce FOID card and concealed carry rules, and card holders who receive revocation notices are required to comply.

The disaster proclamation currently extends through April 30. Even before the outbreak of COVID-19 in Illinois, gun rights groups were suing the state police for delays in processing FOID card and concealed carry permit applications.

One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is the Illinois State Rifle Association, which negotiated the new rules with the state police.

“The upshot is FOID card holders will be able to keep their FOID cards current during the coronavirus crisis and for one year after termination of the disaster,” the group’s executive director, Richard Pearson, said in a statement. “These emergency rules help ensure that honest gun owners will not be blocked from making firearm purchases. It has taken some time to get to this point, but we are pleased with the end result.” —Dan Petrella

6:10 p.m.: Pritzker quietly grants clemency requests to prisoners amid pandemic

After nearly four decades in prison for his role as the lookout in two gas station robberies, Basil Powell was given a second chance at life Thursday.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker commuted the former Chicago man’s natural life sentence earlier this week amid mounting pressure from prison reform advocates urging the release of elderly or ill inmates amid the coronavirus pandemic.


Powell is among a group of people serving life sentences in the Illinois Department of Corrections to whom Pritzker has quietly granted release in recent days through his executive clemency power. Read more here. —Christy Gutowski


6:05 p.m.: Three Lake County hospitals hit pre-coronavirus capacity for ICU beds; one almost ran out of room

At least three Illinois hospitals in Lake County have joined others in the region in hitting a pandemic milestone: filling all of the intensive care beds they had prior to the arrival of the coronavirus, according to county officials.

One of them, Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, acknowledged it nearly ran out of room for more ICU patients Tuesday evening. Read more here. —Lisa Schencker

5:48 p.m.: 6 more deaths in DuPage bring total to 34; total number of known cases at 931

Six new deaths involving the coronavirus were reported Thursday in DuPage County, making a total of 34, including three more residents of long-term care facilities.

Fifty-eight new cases of COVID-19 brings the total number of cases in the county to 931, the DuPage County Health Department reported. That’s the fourth-highest total in the state behind Cook, Lake, and Will counties. —Robert McCoppin

5:31 p.m.: Lightfoot says she broke up an apparent underage drinking party while enforcing social distancing rules

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has taken her “stay home save lives” campaign to a new level this week, telling reporters she has personally confronted residents who are flouting anti-coronavirus social distancing rules.

At a news conference earlier in the week, Lightfoot said she rode up to the 50th ward on the Far North Side where she told groups of people gathering to “break it up.” And, in a new interview with WLS-AM 890 reporter Bill Cameron, Lightfoot shared the reaction she gets when she confronts residents about their social distancing and told a story about breaking up an apparent underage drinking party.

“Most people do a double take and are like, wait, is that the mayor? And then as we roll away, you’ll hear somebody saying ‘hey, that was the mayor. Hey, that was Lori Lightfoot," she said in the interview, which will air at 7 p.m. Sunday on the “Connected To Chicago” program on WLS.

“The other night I think we literally broke up an underage drinking party. There were some young folks that were in a garage with the door up, it was a beautiful night, we pulled by and I told the driver, back up, rolled down the window and said ‘Hey, you’re too close. Separate yourself. Social distancing!'” Lightfoot recalled. "And we heard one person, I won’t repeat the expletive but they said ‘Oh,’ and you can figure it out. So we had a little fun with it.” Read more here. —Gregory Pratt

5:30 p.m.: 17 additional CPD officers test positive, 4 recover and return to duty

Seventeen new Chicago Police officers and civilians working for the department have tested positive for the virus, police said in a media statement.

In total, 151 members of the department now have the virus. On Wednesday as of about the same time, they said 134 of their staffers had tested positive. Of the 151, 144 are sworn officers while seven are civilians.

On a positive note, four officers have recovered after testing positive and are back on the job, the statement said. —Rosemary Sobol

5:03 p.m.: State Farm announces $2 billion rebate for its auto insurance customers

State Farm said Thursday that it will return $2 billion in auto insurance premiums to its customers because fewer motorists are on the road as a result of the new coronavirus.

Most policyholders will get a 25% policy credit for the weeks between March 30 and May 31, the Bloomington-based insurer said.

“State Farm is returning value through a dividend to our customers,” State Farm Chairman, President and CEO Michael L. Tipsord said in a statement. “We insure more cars than anyone and we see from our claims activity people are driving less. This dividend is one of the ways we’re working to help our customers during this unprecedented situation.” Read more here. —Abdel Jimenez

4:33 p.m.: Pritzker puts large summer events in doubt

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday cast doubt on summer festivals, saying that people should “think carefully about canceling large summer events.”

“From my perspective today, I do not see how we are going to have large gatherings of people again until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away. I would not risk having large groups of people getting together, anywhere. And I think that’s hard for everybody to hear, but that’s just a fact,” Pritzker said.

The city Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events has so far only canceled events through May 15. That leaves Gospel Fest on the calendar for now, starting May 27 in Millennium Park. Cultural Affairs is also in charge of Blues Fest starting June 5, and Jazz Fest in August. Cultural Affairs also runs lots of smaller concerts, tours and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Private concert promoters have deals with the Chicago Park District to run events like the Pitchfork Music Festival that draws tens of thousands of spectators to Union Park in July, and Lollapalooza, which brings 100,000 people per day to Grant Park over four days in August. Lightfoot last week said she still hoped Lollapalooza would proceed.

“Lollapalooza is on schedule,” Lightfoot said. “It’s our hope and expectation that it will go forward, but we will deal with the circumstances when we are much closer to that time.”

Representatives of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the Chicago Park District and Lightfoot’s office did not immediately respond to questions Thursday about Pritzker’s comments that called into doubt the full slate of summer events. —Jamie Munks and John Byrne

4:15 p.m.: Lightfoot thanks donors who’ve provided 2 million pieces of personal protective gear in Chicago

More than 2 million pieces of personal protective gear have been donated to the city of Chicago, and more than 1,700 health care professionals have volunteered with the Chicago Medical Reserves Corps, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday.

Lightfoot thanks the businesses, individuals and organizations who have contributed facemask and shield and other gear.

The mayor said the city has distributed significant amounts of its own PPE stockpile to Chicago hospitals and healthcare facilities, making the demand for donated gear all the more critical. The city is also monitoring the availability of PPE at acute and long-term are facilities, community health centers and homeless shelters.


The president of Wanxiang America Corp., a business that has long operated in the city, said it’s providing 250,000 disposable protective masks and 30,000 face shields.

Other groups and businesses cited by the mayor include Project HOPE, Americares, BMO, Ford Motor Company, Facebook, McDonald’s, a collaborative led by DePaul University, the Goodman Theatre and League of Chicago Theatres, Chicago Park District, Koval Distillery, People’s Gas, Project CURE, Stencil Ease, Columbia College Chicago and the Social Security Administration.

The city also said the membership of the Chicago Medical Reserve Corps has more than doubled to 1,700 volunteers. They are among more than 40,000 volunteers statewide helping in the coronavirus response.

People with medical backgrounds and others who want to volunteer in a medical or public health setting should go to www.chicago.gov/coronavirus.

“I am overwhelmed and inspired every day by the selflessness, sacrifice and grace exhibited by our city throughout this crisis,” Lightfoot said in a news release. “In ways both big and small, residents, leaders, businesses, and other organizations have shown the true mettle of our city and the character of our communities. Their actions have not only supported countless Chicagoans working day and night to fight this disease, but they have also helped lay the foundation for our strong recovery from this crisis. We are truly all in this together, and on behalf of myself and a grateful city, I thank all of them from the bottom of my heart for their support.” —Diana Wallace

4:06 p.m.: Illinois government faces revenue losses of billions if not tens of billions due to COVID-19, U. of I. study says

Illinois government’s already shaky finances face a hit from the coronavirus greater than that leveled by the Great Recession, with massive losses in tax revenue, higher health care spending and additional damage to the state’s vastly underfunded public employee pension systems, a University of Illinois study released Thursday said.

Using various economic models amid the continued uncertainty over the response and duration of the pandemic, the study forecast that “the revenue loss for the individual and corporate income taxes and the state sales tax is likely to be substantial.” Those three taxes make up over three-fourths of total tax revenue and almost half of state revenues. Read more here. —Rick Pearson

4:01 p.m.: Enforcing stay-at-home order, Chicago police arrest 3 men while breaking up gathering to remember homicide victim

Chicago police arrested three men while breaking up a large crowd of people gathered to honor a man fatally shot earlier this week in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side, officials said.

Officers found a street gathering of 40 to 50 people in the 7800 block of South Carpenter Street around 8:35 p.m. Wednesday. The event was to remember Howard Griffith, 28, who was fatally shot a day earlier in the 7700 block of South Throop Street, according to police.

Large public gatherings are prohibited by the state’s stay-at-home order put into place to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Read more here. —Will Lee

2:58 p.m.: Chicago Bears commit $1.92 million to coronavirus relief efforts

The Bears and their charitable arm, Bears Care, are committing $1.92 million to COVID-19 relief efforts, the team announced Thursday.

The Bears previously announced a $250,000 donation to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund as part of that commitment. They will also give $250,000 each to the Advocate Charitable Foundation’s Relief Fund for Critical Care, Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund and the University of Chicago’s Community Support Programs.

Along with the city’s other professional sports teams, the Bears also are participating in the Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s “We Are Not Playing” campaign, which is using local athletes to encourage residents to stay at home and practice social distancing.

Read more here. —Colleen Kane

2:43 p.m.: 1,344 new known COVID-19 cases and 66 additional deaths

Illinois officials reported 1,344 new known cases of the new coronavirus Thursday, including 66 more deaths.

The statewide death toll is now 528 since the epidemic began. The total known case count is now 16,422, with cases reported in 81 of Illinois’ 102 counties.

The rate of rise in case counts is “looking less and less exponential,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday at his daily briefing.

“This indicates to us that we are, in fact, bending the curve,” Pritzker said. “There is even some evidence that we may be moving toward a flatter curve. But we need to keep watching the data on a daily basis.”

Thursday marked one full month since Pritzker declared a statewide disaster proclamation. —Jamie Munks

2:42 p.m.: Blood banks seek plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients

Local blood banks are urging people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate their plasma, in hopes that it will contain antibodies that might help other patients fight the illness.

Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of plasma as an official treatment for patients with COVID-19, it is allowing doctors to apply to use it in certain circumstances, such as in clinical trials and for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening cases of the illness.

“Although promising, convalescent plasma has not yet been shown to be safe and effective as a treatment for COVID-19,” the FDA said in guidance released Wednesday. “Therefore, it is important to study the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in clinical trials.”

Blood bank Versiti is asking people who have had COVID-19 to call a hotline at 866-702-4673 or go to versiti.org/covid19plasma. The blood bank hopes to start scheduling donors for next week, said Kevin Ha, Versiti Illinois associate medical director.

“We’ve had varying levels of interest from different hospitals, but we’re letting all the hospitals know that we are trying to start this convalescent plasma program, and once we do have some convalescent plasma inventory, it will be given as needed to hospitals,” Ha said.

Those wishing to donate must have tested positive for COVID-19 and must have been symptom-free for at least 28 days or, if they can provide negative test results, for at least 14 to 27 days. One plasma donation can be used to treat multiple patients. Donating plasma takes about 30 to 40 minutes and will be scheduled by appointment.


The American Red Cross is also collecting information about possible donors at RedCrossBlood.org/plasma4covid. Eligible donors will then receive information about appointments to donate plasma. A spokeswoman for the Red Cross declined to comment further. —Lisa Schencker

2:32 p.m.: City expects federal coronavirus stimulus package to give $1.5 billion to Chicago government, CPS, and CTA

The city of Chicago and sister agencies will receive roughly $1.5 billion from the federal stimulus package passed by Congress last month, according to estimates released by Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

The bulk of that total includes $470 million to the city from the Coronavirus Relief Fund, nearly $800 million dedicated to the CTA, and $205 million for Chicago Public Schools.

O’Hare and Midway airports also will get a split of the $10 billion dedicated the legislation includes for airports across the country. The city is currently in discussions with the FAA and still doesn’t know how much Chicago’s airports will receive, but officials said they expect it will be “considerable assistance.”

Chicago also expects to receive $46.7 million in Community Development Block Grants for senior citizens and the homeless, as well as $23.7 million in Emergency Solutions Grants for the homeless.

An additional $1.5 million will go toward housing for people with HIV/AIDS, the city said.

Another $15 million will go toward addressing unemployment and economic disruption. City officials also expect to receive nearly $7 million in Department of Justice grants as part of the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program.

The city will also get nearly $10 million in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants for public health emergency preparedness, Lightfoot’s administration said. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt, John Byrne

2:25 p.m.: Honors funeral for first Chicago cop to die of COVID-19 includes long vehicle procession but is limited by social distancing rules

Lines of dozens of squad cars from numerous police departments filled the street outside a Norridge funeral home Thursday morning where Chicago police Officer Marco DiFranco was remembered.

DiFranco, 50, died April 2 from complications due to COVID-19, making him the first Chicago police officer to lose his life to the coronavirus.

The day after his death, interim Chicago police Superintendent Charlie Beck declared DiFranco’s death as being in the line of duty, even though the department hadn’t determined how the officer got infected. The on-duty death designation entitled DiFranco to an honors funeral on Thursday from CPD, just as it does for officers slain on the job.

But unlike other honors funerals, officers were not allowed to exit their squad cars to pay their respects to DiFranco at the Cumberland Chapels because of social distancing requirements brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

DiFranco was among more than 100 Chicago police officers who have tested positive for the coronavirus since last month. Read more here.

2:18 p.m.: How to say thank you to essential workers such as cashiers, nurses, mail carriers, bus drivers and janitors

Americans are brainstorming with neighbors, posting questions on social media, and googling for tips and advice.

The question at the center of all the hand wringing and head scratching: How do you thank the essential workers who remain out in the world, exposing themselves to greater risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, so that we can buy our groceries, receive our mail, travel by public transportation, and get health care if we need it?

Sometimes the best answers are the simplest. CTA bus driver Chris Bade told the Tribune that what he really appreciated was the old-fashioned verbal thank-you’s he got on the No. 65 Grand route Monday.

“Just simply saying the word: Thank you for moving the city; thank you for coming to work. That’s all I need to hear,” he said.

But if you want to go big, grand gestures abound, according to interviews and social media posts. Think flowers, coffee, gift cards and meals. In late March, an anonymous donor gave Aztec Dave’s Food Truck $10,000 to feed local hospital workers, according to president and co-owner Ramon Torres. That has allowed the truck to temporarily bring 11 employees back to work, and deliver more than 1,800 meals to those on the front lines of the epidemic, with plans to deliver 2,500 total.

And if you’re crafty, this is your moment. Volunteers are sewing masks for essential workers, making posters and signs, and chalking up the the sidewalk with thank-you’s for the mail carrier.

Here are some tips for meaningful thank-you’s, culled from interviews and local social media posts. Read more here. —Nara Schoenberg

1:45 p.m.: We all do it in Chicago, in coronavirus lockdown more than ever: We’re watching our neighbors

After several weeks at home, here’s what I know: There’s a couple in the building across the alleyway from our apartment that are on their Pelotons every night. Also a couple whose apartment glows red and are obviously hosting nightly fight clubs. And there’s a woman with a grand piano who seems to know the entire Duke Ellington catalog. I have met none of these people in the human terrarium face to face. But knowing our neighbors see us, and that we see them, is part of the deal when you live in a large city. And right now, with everyone at home, we’re in the golden age of watching our neighbors fold laundry. Curtains are sometimes pulled shut, of course, but like Jimmy Stewart in “Rear Window,” you’re always astonished how much mystery remains on view. So you peek, hoping for a murder or an orgy or at least a heated argument.

Jennifer Hosey is a real estate agent based in Streeterville and formerly lived on the 25th floor of a high-rise at State and Lake, but she never saw anything like that, she said. "People’s lives don’t tend to be that interesting.”

On the other hand, they’re reassuring.

“There is so much social isolation now, you hear of Zoom being overwhelmed, but our most meaningful connections are being done this way, across windows, by people looking out on a street,” said Calvin Morrill, a professor sociology in California. "If we know they’re there, it can help with uncertainty.” Read more here. —Chris Borrelli


1:40 p.m.: With coronavirus hitting Chicago’s black community hard, leaders call for wide-ranging relief

Black officials stepped up their demands Thursday for Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker to provide rent and mortgage relief and other help for minorities who are getting hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Pointing to recent statistics that show African Americans in Chicago and statewide contracting the virus and dying from it at much higher rates than other ethnic groups, Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, D-Chicago, called on county officials to provide free COVID-19 testing and treatment to at-risk groups such as service workers who have to keep going out to work.

It remains to be seen how many of their aims this coalition can achieve. City and state leaders are trying to triage while responding to the economic and health fallout from the disease, and broader policy changes such as an end to the state ban on rent control will be difficult to pull off in this climate.

But progressive politicians have continued to push their position that the virus shows goals they have had for a long time are important.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that the communities that have suffered through institutional racism and crisis and pandemic for generations have certainly born the brunt of this disease," Johnson said. “But we are very clear that this pandemic has certainly exposed the gross isolation of poverty in the city of Chicago and Cook County, quite frankly the country.”

South Side Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, called for the Chicago Housing Authority to fill thousands of empty units, and for the city to stop charging for utilities.

“In my community, the majority of the calls have been, ‘Listen, I’m not paying my rent, I’m not going to pay my light and gas, because I need to feed my children,’” Taylor said. Read more here. —John Byrne, Antonia Ayres-Brown

1:26 p.m.: Federal judge orders testing measures at Cook County Jail, but rejects request to order immediate releases due to coronavirus

A federal judge on Thursday rejected an emergency request to order the release of medically vulnerable Cook County Jail detainees due to an ongoing COVID-19 threat, but granted a temporary restraining order forcing Sheriff Tom Dart to comply with strict sanitation and testing measures.

A lawsuit filed last week by the Loevy and Loevy law firm and the MacArthur Justice Center at Northwestern University alleged Dart has failed to stop a “rapidly unfolding public health disaster” at the sprawling jail complex. The jail now ranks at or near the top of lists of single locations for COVID-19 infections in the country.

The suit sought class-action status for all of the jail’s 4,500 detainees and also a temporary restraining order calling for the immediate release of any prisoner whose constitutional rights are being violated by their continued detention amid the coronavirus crisis.

In his 37-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly acknowledged the potential “grave risks” to health at the jail, which so far has seen 251 detainees and 150 staff members test positive for the virus — including one inmate who died earlier this week.

But Kennelly wrote that the plaintiffs had failed to show that they’d exhausted their options in state court — namely seeking expedited bond review under rules established by Cook County Chief Criminal Judge Leroy Martin Jr. last month amid the widening pandemic. Read more here. —Jason Meisner

1:07 p.m.: State police, southwest Illinois pastors urge religious leaders not to hold services during Easter season

Illinois State Police and a handful of pastors in a Thursday news conference implored religious leaders throughout the state to not hold services over Easter holiday.

“We realize that this is the holiest week for Christians and Jewish people of faith, and many traditions are being broken at this time,” said Bishop Henry Phillips, pastor at Power of Change Christian Church in Cahokia, during the streamed news conference.

Phillips said under the current circumstances, typical religious traditions “have to be broken,” and he beseeched religious leaders to “refrain from any public worship gathering at this time.”

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said law enforcement is first taking a “community caretaking” role to share with people the importance of complying with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home orders and practicing social distancing. When asked what would happen if people are caught congregating at church, Kelly said, “rounding up and arresting” people is not the intent of the executive order.

“There’s not going to be law enforcement storming into church buildings,” he said. “That’s not what’s going to happen here. That’s not the way to do this. But if people’s lives are at risk, there are consequences for that down the road if there’s appropriate evidence of that.”

Thursday’s news conference was held with pastors from southwest Illinois. Most religious leaders in Chicago are now holding virtual services and closed the doors to places of worship.

The Rev. Rod Young, pastor of Impact Church in East St. Louis, still urged all pastors to be “considerate” of people’s well-being at this time.

“If we are to model Jesus, what I’ve noticed about Christ is that his most powerful work was done from an empty tomb,” he said. “So, our most powerful work must be done from empty pews.” —Javonte Anderson

12:29 p.m.: ‘Reckless and dangerous.’ Advocates for immigrants again press for halting detention hearings and deportations during pandemic

Immigration advocates have been pushing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to halt the detainment of immigrants not living in the country legally and to release those in custody during the outbreak. In the Chicago area, the federal agency contracts with some local jails to house those facing deportation.

On Tuesday, ICE released a statement saying the agency was reviewing cases of people in custody who could be vulnerable to COVID-19.

“Utilizing CDC guidance along with the advice of medical professionals, ICE may place individuals in a number of alternatives to detention options. Decisions to release individuals in ICE custody occur every day on a case-by-case basis,” ICE said in the statement.


The agency had identified 600 people in custody who could be considered vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus. By the end of March, the agency had released more than 160 people who fit that category, according to the statement.

As of Wednesday, there had been 32 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among people in immigration custody. None of the cases involved people detained in Illinois or Wisconsin, but there was one confirmed case in a county jail in Huron, Michigan, according to the federal agency.

In addition, 11 employees at detention centers have tested positive for COVID-19. Another 63 people employed by ICE in other capacities have also tested positive. Read more here. —Elvia Malagón

12:22 p.m.: More than 50 residents, staff test positive for COVID-19 at Park Forest facility for adults with developmental disabilities

A sprawling, state-run residential center for adults with developmental disabilities in Park Forest has become a hot spot for COVID-19 cases in the south suburbs.

The Elisabeth Ludeman Developmental Center, the second largest developmental center in the state, has recorded 52 COVID-19 cases among residents and staff, Illinois Department of Human Services spokeswoman Meghan Powers said Thursday. Two residents who contracted the virus have died of COVID-19 complications, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Powers said the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped in recent days after the agency received an influx of test kits and began testing more of its symptomatic residents. Once all of its symptomatic residents have been tested, the agency will begin testing residents who had contact with COVID-19-positive residents, she said.

“It’s a systematic way of doing this, but it’s going to show a jump in our number of positive cases because we are testing so much more broadly,” Powers said.

At least four of the center’s 40 group homes are in isolation due to exposure or potential exposure to the novel coronavirus and all 353 residents are being encouraged to remain in their bedrooms, according to Parents & Friends of the Ludeman Center, a website for a nonprofit organization associated with the facility.

Of the 52 confirmed cases at the Ludeman Center, 38 involve residents and 14 involve staff, Powers said. Read more here.

11:49 a.m.: Rush University Medical Center was built for a moment like this. Take a look inside the calm at the center of Chicago’s coronavirus storm.

With the number of coronavirus cases predicted to peak in Chicago as soon as Saturday, Rush will serve as the city’s bellwether hospital. If Rush reaches capacity during the surge, it will be an indication of trouble.

Preparations began nearly two decades ago, after the 9/11 attacks led hospitals and first responders to rethink the definition of a mass casualty. While Chicago had Level-1 trauma centers to handle gun violence, burn victims and car accidents, the city seemed less equipped to deal with bioterrorism or a pandemic.

In 2012, Rush filled the void with a distinctive butterfly-shaped building along the Eisenhower Expressway. Every room at the groundbreaking hospital can be outfitted with an ICU bed, and even the soaring Brennan Pavilion was designed to become a low-grade emergency department if needed.

That forethought has landed Rush on the front lines of the region’s fight against the coronavirus. According to the hospital, its intensive care unit has roughly 25% of all COVID-19 patients on ventilators statewide. And 1 of every 20 people hospitalized because of the virus in Illinois is being treated there.

Many of the patients have been transferred to Rush from local hospitals that didn’t have the ability to care for them, said Dr. Paul Casey, the hospital’s acting chief medical officer. Some of those hospitals sent ventilators along with their patients to help Rush cope with the onslaught.

“We have been pretty aggressive in making sure we’re there to support those hospitals and those patients,” Casey said. “So we are seeing a lot of people in our critical care area."

On Tuesday, the medical center allowed a Tribune reporter and photographer inside its emergency department and intensive care units. The latter has expanded by 50% as the number of COVID-19 cases statewide has climbed to more than 15,000. Read more here. —Stacy St. Clair

11:41 a.m.: ‘Airlines are playing games with consumers.' Coronavirus pandemic is making it tougher for passengers to get refunds.

The new coronavirus has brought travel to a near standstill, wreaking havoc on passengers and airlines alike.

The pandemic has pit the two groups against each other as customers try to claw back money spent on scotched trips and airlines grasp for ways to preserve cash. Ticket refunds — or a lack thereof — are a major sore spot.

“What we’re seeing is the airlines, who are facing unprecedented financial distress, are trying to find ways to get around having to offer consumers refunds because that’s cash that comes out of their bottom line,” said John Breyault, head of public policy for the National Consumers League in Washington, D.C. “They’re aggressively trying to push vouchers instead of cash refunds. But for many consumers facing tough times, a voucher for travel a year from now just isn’t an option when you’re not even sure you’re going to have a job.” Read more here. —Lori Rackl

11:01 a.m.: Blackhawks singer Jim Cornelison, Easter Bunny to visit Chicago’s 19th Ward

Southwest Side Ald. Matt O’Shea will send the Easter Bunny through his ward in a convertible on Friday, with Blackhawks singer Jim Cornelison riding behind in an antique fire truck. O’Shea, whose 19th ward includes Beverly, Mt. Greenwood and Morgan Park, “has made a special request of the Easter Bunny in the hopes of raising families spirts and to bring a socially distant celebration to doorways,” his office said in a statement.

The caravan will ride through the ward from 12:30 to 2:30, and it won’t stop to ensure social distancing, O’Shea’s office said.

“The Easter Bunny will be slowly driving past residences, waving to families with children of all ages,” O’Shea’s office said.“


Cornelison will be singing uplifting songs and interacting with families from their doorways and front steps.” —Gregory Pratt

10:36 a.m.: Wisconsin governor closes dozens of state parks, recreational areas to slow spread of coronavirus

Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday ordered the closure of 40 Wisconsin’s state parks, forests and recreational areas primarily in southern and southeastern Wisconsin to help reduce overcrowding and vandalism and to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Evers’ warned that the order could be followed by more closures if the public doesn’t follow social distancing guidelines and vandalism continues. The sites that will close indefinitely starting Thursday night include some of the state’s most popular hiking and camping destinations, which had been a place for cooped up families to spend time outdoors during the stay-at-home order.

Recreational areas and state parks had been exempt from the stay-at-home order Evers issued last month, which runs through April 24. Entrance fees had been waived and state park offices and visitor centers were closed to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The closures include Devil’s Lake State Park, the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Blue Mound State Park, Governor Dodge State Park, New Glarus Woods State Park and Dells of The Wisconsin River State Natural Area. The only closed park that isn’t in southern Wisconsin was High Cliff State Park on Lake Winnebago in Calumet County.

As of Wednesday, there had been 99 deaths and nearly 2,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin. Read more here. —Associated Press

10:16 a.m.: To fight coronavirus overcrowding in morgues, Cook County medical examiner’s office to open ‘surge center’

In anticipation of many more deaths from COVID-19, a refrigerated warehouse capable of holding as many as 2,000 bodies is expected to open Thursday, the Cook County Medical examiner’s office announced.

The purpose of the 66,000-square-foot “surge center” is to ease overcrowding at hospital morgues due to the pandemic, County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a news release. The county’s Emergency Management and Regional Security Department was tasked with planning and is to coordinate logistics for the center, it said.

“I realize that my administration has a responsibility to prepare for a surge in deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Preckwinkle said in the release, although her hope “is that we have made plans that we will not have to utilize.”

Emergency management officials said the county already has 14 refrigerated trailers and hopes to add six more for a total of 20 trailers that will be used to support the surge center. They’ll be able to move between hospitals experiencing surges.

Dr. Ponni Arunkumar, the county’s chief medical examiner, last week told the Tribune she was looking to set up the surge center. Read more here. —Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas

10:11 a.m.: Lightfoot administration files legal brief opposing immediate release of Cook County Jail detainees

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration filed a legal brief late Wednesday opposing the immediate release of Cook County Jail detainees due to an alarming outbreak of coronavirus, saying such a move “threatens to consume the resources of the city and endanger the health of its residents.”

A lawsuit filed last week by the Loevy and Loevy law firm and the MacArthur Justice Center at Northwestern University alleged Sheriff Tom Dart has failed to stop a “rapidly unfolding public health disaster” at sprawling jail complex. So far, 251 detainees and 150 staff members have tested positive for the virus — including one inmate who died earlier this week.

The suit seeks class-action status for all of the jail’s remaining 4,500 detainees and also a temporary restraining order that would result in the immediate release of any prisoner whose constitutional rights are being violated by their continued detention amid the coronavirus crisis.

But Chicago’s top attorney argued in a five-page amicus brief Wednesday that the suit fails to take into account the jail “continues to house many violent detainees who have been charged with serious crimes, such as murder, sexual assault, and violence against children.”

“If released, the overwhelming majority these detainees will likely return to Chicago,” city Corporation Counsel Mark Flessner wrote in the filing. “Yet plaintiffs ask the court to release detainees without any individualized assessment into their risk of flight or danger to the community.”

The request “fails to respect the rights of Chicago residents who would live among released detainees,” the filing stated.

The brief – known as a “friend of the court” filing – was for informational purposes only for the judge, as the city is not a party to the suit.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly is expected to rule on the request for a temporary restraining order within the next few days.

Dart, meanwhile, has vigorously defended his actions. His lawyers argued in court Tuesday that the sheriff’s office has been ahead of the curve in working to release non-violent offenders and taken proactive steps to protect staff and prisoners who remain in the jail. —Jason Meisner

10:09 a.m.: Illinois unemployment claims top 200,000, breaking another state record

The number of Illinois workers seeking unemployment insurance benefits last week topped 200,000, breaking last week’s record as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the state’s economy.

In all, more than 493,000 people have filed initial claims for unemployment in the past three weeks in Illinois, or about 1 in 12 workers.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said recently that the state might not have sufficient funds to handle the surge in claims. It reportedly had $1.4 billion in unemployment funds at the end of January. Read more here. —Ally Marotti

9:38 a.m.: Here’s why you still can’t find toilet paper at the store

What does toilet paper have to do with a global pandemic?

Nothing.

Yet millions of people have been panicking about their household supply. Stores shelves have been emptied. Amazon is often out of stock. And social media is bursting with jokes and pleas for a roll or two.

The good news: Things are calming down, at least in the U.S., after a buying spree in mid-March. But it’s not yet clear when — if ever — buying habits will get back to normal.

Here’s all you ever wanted to know about toilet paper during a pandemic. Read more here. —Associated Press

9:35 a.m.: COVID-19: After diagnosis, how do you know when it’s safe to be around others? Answers about getting it — and getting over it.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, new questions arise every day. We started taking concerns from Tribune readers to experts in early March. For the newest edition, we’ve focused on questions related to recovery from COVID-19 for those who have been diagnosed with it or have been told to presume they have it. Read more here.


8:28 a.m.: 10% of workers have lost jobs since coronavirus took hold

With a startling 6.6 million people seeking jobless benefits last week, the United States has reached a grim landmark: More than one in 10 workers have lost their jobs in just the past three weeks to the coronavirus outbreak.

The U.S. Labor Department figures collectively constitute the largest and fastest string of job losses in records dating to 1948. They paint a bleak picture of a job market that is quickly unraveling as businesses have shut down across the country. More than 20 million American may lose jobs this month.

The viral outbreak is believed to have erased nearly one-third of the economy’s output in the current quarter. Forty-eight states have closed nonessential businesses. Restaurants, hotels, department stores and countless small businesses have laid off millions as they struggle to pay bills at a time when their revenue has vanished.

In Illinois, 200,940 people filed for unemployment last week, the federal Labor Department said, an increase of 22,519 claims from the previous week’s slightly revised total of 178,421. Read more here. —Associated Press

7:33 a.m.: Gary is emerging as new epicenter of COVID-19 outbreak in Lake County, Ind., reports show

Gary is quickly emerging as the new epicenter of Indiana’s Lake County COVID-19 infections with five deaths and more than 100 cases total, officials said Wednesday.

Lake County reported one new COVID-19 death Wednesday, bringing its total to 12, the third highest in the state, officials said. The county’s caseload rose by 43 to 461, over 125 more since Monday, according to the Indiana State Department of Health’s daily update.

Gary Health Commissioner Roland Walker himself tested positive for COVID-19 after treating afflicted patients, he said. He emerged from an isolation period and is not seeing patients for another week as a precaution, he said. Read more here. —Meredith Colias-Pete

7:10 a.m.: Elected officials, activists, union leaders press for changes in reaction to impact of coronavirus on black community

A group of black leaders and organizations were scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday morning to press for “bold action” from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker in light of the impact of coronavirus on the black community.

State officials this week released detailed information about the number of known COVID-19 cases in Illinois down to the ZIP Code level, making clear that the rate of known infections is much higher in black communities, as analysis of deaths in Cook County showed black Chicagoans are dying at a rate nearly six times higher than white residents.

The “Right to Recovery” coalition, including black elected officials, members of teachers and other unions and activist groups, have been pressing for changes in state and local policies. The group was to hold an online news conference Thursday “outlining the impact to date of COVID-19 on the Black community and the policies needed to mitigate the devastating social and economic impact of the pandemic,” according to the news release.

Members of the coalition have already introduced some legislation that they say would further their goals, including housing rules they believe would protect low-income residents, a corporate head tax on Chicago companies and a graduated real estate transfer tax to raise more money from expensive property sales. —Chicago Tribune staff

7 a.m.: Mayor to thank donors of protective equipment, appeal for more volunteers

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was expected Thursday to thank those who have donated almost 2 million pieces of personal protective equipment since the new coronavirus outbreak began, as more than 1,700 people have signed up to join what the city’sc calling the Chicago Medical Reserve Corps, according to the city.

Individuals, businesses, groups and philanthropies have donated protective equipment including N95 respirator masks, surgical masks face shields, gloves and gowns, as well as hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, according to a release from the mayor’s office. Officials are distributing the equipment to hospitals and other facilities.

Donors have included McDonalds, which is donating 1 million N95 masks, 750,000 of them to Chicago and the rest to the state, as well as Wanxiang America Corporation, Ford Motor Company, Facebook and People’s Gas, according to the release.

The city is still seeking donations and volunteers. Anyone wishing to do so can visit the city’s coronavirus web page. —Chicago Tribune staff

6 a.m.: Does keeping grades from counting against kids during Illinois’ coronavirus school shutdown give them less incentive to do the work?

Citing the technology divide between students who have regular access to a computer and those who don’t, the Illinois State Board of Education has issued guidelines for teachers that amount to “do no harm” to existing grades in light of coronavirus.

But some parents say that approach has revealed another divide – between students who will still take work seriously when a grade isn’t on the line and those who won’t try nearly as hard now that they know they aren’t going to fail if they don’t give their all.

The guidelines call for teachers to use a pass-incomplete system that doesn’t give failing grades, doesn’t punish kids for lack of participation and gives all students opportunities to redo or make up any assignments, with more chances to raise their grades over the summer or next fall.

Denise Clark Pope, a senior lecturer at the Stanford University School of Education said there are many benefits to "do no harm” grading policies such as the one recommended by ISBE.

“It really isn’t possible to use grades in a manner that is equitable or fair with remote learning, given the digital divide,” Pope said. “Everyone is more stressed right now, with parents worried about losing their jobs, and their family’s health, so it can be a huge win if we can draw upon the positives, like listening to our kids and focusing on relationships right now, instead of grades."

Read the full story here. —Hannah Leone and Karen Ann Cullotta


6 a.m.: College students are unlikely to get tuition refunds after coronavirus campus shutdowns. But it won’t be for lack of trying.

In a bold campaign, hundreds of University of Chicago students are threatening to skip a key payment due this month. Student government leaders at Northwestern University have endorsed calls to slash the cost of remote classes. And thousands studying at the University of Illinois at Chicago have signed a petition demanding money back.

Underlying all the efforts, students aim to make the case that colleges should refund a portion of tuition this year because of unexpected changes spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. Some argue that lectures delivered through Zoom are not as valuable as learning in person, while others say universities should be doing more to accommodate families hurting financially.

Though many colleges have offered reimbursements on room and board charges and changed grading policies for the spring term, they are remaining firm on tuition. Experts say most colleges can’t afford to pay back tuition, their main source of revenue, despite protests from students or their parents. Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney

6 a.m.: Neighbors rally to local handyman locked up in Cook County Jail as threat of coronavirus spreads

Peter Baumgartner’s tool belt hangs exactly where he left it more than a month ago when he was taken to Cook County Jail.

Like many Chicagoans, the handyman’s neighbors on their West Rogers Park block have been gripped by news of the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve stood on front lawns together, at a distance, holding candles to support first responders. But worries over the impact of the deadly virus have hit even closer to home, with one of their own neighbors stuck in jail on an unusually high bond of $475,000.

Baumgartner, 55, pleaded guilty to a 2017 charge of evading a drug test but has a long history of missing required probation appointments and court dates, including once when he walked out of a courtroom on a hearing date, according to court records. He was finally picked up in February on an outstanding warrant.

Some of his neighbors were aware that Baumgartner has had struggles with the law. But on their block, they said he is still a gentle giant they also know has worked to overcome issues in his life. Cook County Jail under any circumstance is the wrong place for Baumgartner, his neighbors said. And as the pandemic ripped through the jail and forced a delay in many court hearings, they became desperate for answers about how to get him out. Read more here. —Annie Sweeney

5:40 a.m.: CTA passengers will have to enter through back of buses to promote social distancing during coronavirus pandemic

The CTA will begin directing riders to board buses through the rear doors and allow drivers to stop picking up passengers if a bus becomes crowded, in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the CTA are expected to announce Thursday.

The CTA has started to move its fare card readers from the front to the rear doors of its buses, a process that could take a few weeks because there are about 1,800 buses in its fleet. In the meantime, the agency said it will not enforce fare payment on buses that do not have rear-door fare card readers.

Cash boxes won’t be moved to the rear doors, so riders with cash won’t be required to pay a fare as long as the system is in place, Steele said. Riders in wheelchairs and those who need the bus to lower so they can board still will be able to use the front doors, and will not have to pay fares. Read more here. —Tracy Swartz

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