So far, 307 people have died in Illinois after testing positive for the coronavirus — numbers which stand to strain not only the health care system, but the system for dealing with the deceased.

With cases of COVID-19 expected to peak in Illinois later this month, are hospitals and health care workers in the state going to have what they need when they really need it?

Illinois has only received a fraction of the personal protective equipment it requested from the federal government. “It’s our own state procurement initiative that’s making a difference” in the fight against COVID-19, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday.

Black Chicagoans make up 30% of the city’s population, but 72% of its COVID-19 deaths, according to newly released data. “Those numbers take your breath away,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. “It’s unacceptable. No one should think this is OK.”

Black Chicagoans account for 72% of COVID-19 deaths in the city, while only making up 30% of the overall population, public health officials announced Monday. “It is something we’re following very closely,” said 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is joining forces with the city’s professional sports teams to encourage people to stay home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “They’re not playing and neither are we,” Lightfoot said. 

No sewing machine? No problem. The surgeon general demonstrates how to make a no-sew cloth mask.

The novel coronavirus is believed to more severely impact those who are elderly, immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions. But demographic data points to another group that appears to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Just over two weeks into a mandatory stay-at-home order, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he is considering additional steps to curb the spread of COVID-19. Cases across the state now stand at 11,256.

The U.S. surgeon general offered some of the starkest warnings yet Sunday as he braced Americans for the worsening fallout from the new coronavirus, warning “this is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly.” 

The number of coronavirus cases in Illinois has surpassed the 10,000 mark with nearly 250 deaths. Given those numbers, Gov. J.B. Pritkzer said anyone flouting his stay-at-home order is “either not paying attention to the news, or they’re stupid.”

President Donald Trump announced new federal guidelines Friday recommending that Americans wear face coverings when in public to help fight the spread of the new coronavirus. The president immediately said he had no intention of following the advice himself, saying, “I’m choosing not to do it.”

Illinois health officials on Friday reported the largest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state – 1, 209 cases and 53 deaths – as Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot toured the alternate care facility at McCormick Place.

Coronavirus-related shutdowns have had a dramatic impact on communities all across Chicago, but north suburban Highwood has felt the squeeze on two fronts.

Paolo Palazzi-Xirinachs was about four weeks into his post-retirement studies at the University of Florence when Italy went into full quarantine. Now he’s stuck in a country with the highest reported coronavirus death toll in the world.

Ridership on city bus and train lines is down, but the CTA is still operating its regular schedule. What the agency is – and is not – doing to protect riders and operators during the pandemic.