CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday he shares his appreciation for nurses on National Nurses Day.
“Thank you for answering the call to save lives,” Pritzker said.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike with the Illinois Department of Public Health said the state’s positivity rate is at 18%.
Ezike reported in the 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday, there were 4,014 new cases of the virus, bringing the total to 83,021 total confirmed cases, with 3,601 lives lost in relation to COVID-19.
She addressed concerns with the death totals.
“Some are concerned the numbers are inflated,” Ezike said.
Ezike said lab tests are performed to confirm if the individual had COVID-19.
“There are some additional deaths in someone who happened to be COVID positive, but where the COVID infection had nothing to do with the death,” Ezike said.
The IDPH, she said, is working to remove the deaths not related to the virus from the total.
