Fear of the coronavirus has led people to stock up on the germ-killing gel, leaving store shelves empty and online retailers with sky-high prices set by those trying to profit on the rush. 

A person suspected of having the novel coronavirus has been admitted to the University of Chicago Medical Center, which is awaiting test results to confirm whether the patient has the virus. If confirmed, the patient would mark Illinois’ fifth case of COVID-19.

A couple in their 70s mark the third and fourth cases of novel coronavirus in Illinois, according to state and local health officials. Both patients are reported to be in good condition.

Health officials in Washington state said Sunday night that a second person had died from the coronavirus — a man in his 70s from a nursing facility near Seattle.

State and local officials are again saying the risk of catching the coronavirus remains low in Illinois, but they’re expanding the state’s capacity and methods to test for the virus.

About 4 in 10 American adults are obese, and nearly 1 in 10 is severely so, government researchers said Thursday.

Clover sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants have been linked with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 14 people in five states, including six people in Illinois. The company said it is no longer serving sprouts.

President Donald Trump declared that a widespread U.S. outbreak of the new respiratory virus sweeping the globe isn’t inevitable even as top health authorities at his side warned Americans that more infections are coming.

The novel coronavirus is not spreading across Illinois communities or the U.S., but state health officials say they’re taking preventative actions to limit that from happening.

President Donald Trump pushed back Wednesday against criticism that his administration isn’t doing enough to meet the coronavirus threat, as lawmakers called for giving disease fighters much more money than the $2.5 billion the White House has requested.

Federal health officials say Americans should begin preparing for a potentially severe outbreak of COVID-19. “Now is the time for businesses, hospitals, communities, schools, and everyday people to begin preparing,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the CDC.

A recent review of government-funded cancer research studies found that the participants were disproportionately white. A new state law attempts to fix that.

According to a new survey, four out of five Illinois residents are concerned about being able to afford some aspect of health care in the future, such as prescription drugs and health insurance.

On Friday, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reported four new cold-related deaths in the county.

One particular issue keeps rising to the top of voters’ concerns this primary season. Medicare for All took center stage at the democratic debate in Las Vegas this week – and the candidates pulled no punches.

A free public event Friday will focus on food inequality across Chicago’s 77 community areas. We discuss the event with Rodger Cooley, executive director of the Chicago Food Policy Action Council.