Public health officials reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases in Illinois on Tuesday. As the number of cases goes up, so too does the number of people hospitalized with the virus. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker imposed tighter restrictions designed to stop the spread of the virus amid a sustained surge in COVID-19 cases that has shown no sign of slowing down. “The virus is winning the war,” Pritzker said.

For the third consecutive day, public health officials reported more than 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois as the total number of infections statewide neared the 500,000 mark.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 12,438 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, exceeding by more than 2,000 the previous record for new infections reported in a 24-hour period, which was set Friday.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker self-isolated Friday and was awaiting test results after learning that he may have been exposed to the coronavirus at a meeting earlier this week.

As Illinois saw more than 10,000 new COVID-19 cases Friday, state health officials released new data showing there have been 10 school-based coronavirus outbreaks, while hundreds of schools have faced potential exposures.

“The Republicans, and the billionaires who sided with them, were effectively able to use the speaker as their foil and that hurt our ability, our state’s ability to get things done,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 9,935 new cases of COVID-19, a single-day record, and 97 deaths. In Illinois, 10,030 have now died as a result of the virus.

“This amount of disease in our community, it’s hard to think you could go anywhere and not be exposed,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state’s top doctor.

The defeat of a constitutional amendment to overhaul how Illinois taxes income will mean painful cuts and will not avert tax increases, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday.

“Local officials who are not doing the right thing are going to be the ones responsible for our rates of infection going through the roof,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday.

If you plan to vote in person on Election Day, state health officials have some requests. “Don’t forget to wear a mask and keep your distance,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday.

“It’s unfortunate,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Friday. “Look, this disease is unrelenting, it doesn’t care about what the location is and what we’re trying to do here is to limit the cases, the hospitalizations and the deaths.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a grave warning on Thursday as Illinois officials reported 6,363 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, telling residents that the pandemic has entered the most dangerous phase since the spring.

Nine of the state’s 11 regions have triggered the state’s fail-safe metrics designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, with the addition of much of West-Central Illinois, including Springfield and Quincy, on Thursday.

Restrictions ordered by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to stop the spread of COVID-19 take effect at midnight Friday. Mayor Lightfoot altered her plan to align with the restrictions laid out by the Illinois Department of Public Health.