Sunday live coronavirus updates: Pritzker expands child care for essential workers
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Keep up with all the coronavirus news in southwestern Illinois
Stay updated with the events in southwestern Illinois that have been canceled or postponed because of coronavirus concerns.
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Here is a roundup of coronavirus news you need to know on Sunday:
Schnucks limits customers to one per household at stores
In a continuing effort to encourage social distancing, Schnucks stores began limiting the number of customers by asking that there be only one shopper per household when possible.
“While it is our hope that customers will understand and abide by this policy, we also recognize that there are situations where it is simply not possible – be it a single parent who has no childcare options, an elderly customer who needs assistance from a friend or relative, or a customer with other needs,” the company said in a news release Saturday.
Store teams have been told to “exercise judgment in these situations” to ensure that customers can complete shopping trips and maintain social distancing guidelines.
On April 1, Dierbergs announced it was limiting customers to one per household inside its grocery stores.
Pritzker expands emergency child care services in Illinois
In a new release Sunday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced his administration would expand eligibility to emergency child care for essential workers and would allow an increase in financial support for emergency child care centers and homes.
“We have essential workers and healthcare professionals who can’t stay home with their kids because they are heroically going out to do their jobs, which are vital for public safety and to make sure other families can get the food and gas and pharmacy goods they may need,” Pritzker said. “Our essential workforce deserves to know their kids are safe and cared for in a small and affordable group setting.”
Effective April 1, all essential workers in health care, human services, essential government services and essential infrastructure will qualify for the state’s Child Care Assistance Program. Illinois will cover most of the cost of care provided by emergency child care centers and homes. The expansion of eligibility includes those working as nurses and doctors, supporting staff in hospitals, grocery store clerks and food producers.
Full details and applications for assistance are available on the Department of Human Services website at DHS.illinois.gov/helpishere and at coronavirus.illinois.gov.
Number of positive COVID-19 cases in southwestern Illinois nears 200
Coronavirus cases in Illinois continue to increase, with a total of 186 in 10 counties as of Sunday.
St. Clair County, which reported its first two cases March 14, announced Sunday the county now has 82 cases, an increase of four from Saturday.
The county said Saturday it received confirmation of the first child to have tested positive, a boy under 10.
St. Clair County previously has announced three COVID-19 related deaths.
Madison County also had one new case and Clinton County had three new cases Sunday.
The total number of cases in southwestern Illinois now stands at 186.
Here’s a breakdown of the cases:
St. Louis County coronavirus death toll rises to 13
The number of COVID-19-related deaths has risen to 13 in St. Louis County, according to statistics released Sunday.
City of St. Louis officials had reported six COVID-19-related deaths as of Saturday afternoon. In total, the city had 328 cases.
St. Louis County on Saturday reported 62 new cases, the lowest daily total of new cases since March 29.
Overall, the county had 862 coronavirus cases as of Saturday.
Here is information on the COVID-19 patients who died in St. Louis County:
Female, 50-59, with underlying medical conditions
Female, 80-89, with underlying medical conditions
Female, 60-69, with underlying medical conditions
Male, 80-89, with underlying medical conditions
Male, 50-59, unknown whether there were underlying medical conditions.
Male, 80-89, unknown whether there were underlying medical conditions.
Female, 80-89, with underlying medical conditions
- Male, 60-69, chronic underlying medical conditions
- Male, 60-69, chronic underlying medical conditions
- Male, 70-79, chronic underlying medical conditions
Female, 70-79, chronic underlying medical conditions
Male, 90-99 years of age, with underlying medical conditions
Female, 90-99 years of age, with underlying medical conditions
Illinois coronavirus cases surpass 11,000, death toll hits 274
The number of coronavirus cases in Illinois has surpassed 11,000 and 31 additional deaths have been recorded, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Sunday.
The death toll due to the pandemic was 274 as of Sunday. One of those cases include another individual from Stateville Correctional Facility, where an inmate was reported to have died from the virus last week. There are currently 60 positive cases there, Dr. Ngozi Ezike said during the state’s daily news conference about COVID-19.
The total stands at 11,256 positive cases.
About 30 percent of those positive patients are African American, Ezike said.
St. Clair County officials previously said three patients have died in the county, with none in Madison County or elsewhere in southwestern Illinois.
The state has tested 58,983 people for the coronavirus.
JJK records public service announcement
Jackie Joyner-Kersee has recorded a video pleading with Illinoisans to stay home as ordered by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“Staying inside truly saves lives. We’re in this together. I’m all in Illinois,” Joyner-Kersee says in the video, which Pritzker retweeted Saturday.
The video is part of the #AllInIllinois campaign introduced by Pritzker on Thursday.
Joyner-Kersee is an East St. Louis native who won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals in track and field in four Olympics.
Postponed and canceled events
The News-Democrat has compiled a list of events in Illinois and St. Louis that have been canceled due to concerns about coronavirus.
You can find the list at BND.com.
Want to help? Here’s what you need to know
The BND has compiled a list of ways you can help during the coronavirus pandemic.
Go to BND. com to learn about the opportunities to volunteer your time or donate to help communities in the metro-east without putting yourself or others at risk.
You can sew face masks, read stories for people with vision loss and deliver meals to seniors.
If you know of a recognized charitable organization looking for help that isn’t listed, please tell us about it; send an email to newsroom@bnd.com or fill out the BND’s Southwest Illinois coronavirus service and assistance guide online at BND.com.
Get the latest news on coronavirus
BND.com will keep you updated through the day with information about the spread of coronavirus through southwestern Illinois.
You can also find the most complete and up-to-date information from government sites including:
▪ State of Illinois’ coronavirus page: coronavirus.illinois.gov
▪ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html
▪ Federal government’s coronavirus page: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
How to contact the BND with tips, concerns
If you have suggestions about something for the BND to cover regarding the coronavirus pandemic or if you see a report that sounds suspicious on social media or anywhere else, please drop us a note at newsroom@bnd.com and include a link. We’ll check it out.
If you’re a health care worker, we’d like to hear from you
The BND would like to speak with nurses, doctors and other health care professionals who are on the front lines caring for patients in doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals during this difficult time. We’re interested in hearing about your challenges and rewards, frustrations and accomplishments. How is this affecting you? Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
Recovering from COVID-19? The BND would like to talk to you
Have you recovered from coronavirus or are you in the process of recovering from COVID-19? We would like to hear from you on how you dealt with the respiratory disease. Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
This story was originally published April 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Sunday live coronavirus updates: Pritzker expands child care for essential workers."
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