Prairie State Wire

Gov. JB Pritzker refuses to release official coronavirus data, according to a Chicago radio station, which said that despite radical changes and restrictions in almost every arena of public life, residents of Illinois are not being given hospitalization numbers.

Because of the reported death tolls, it is believed the stay-at-home orders will extend well into April, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

According to WBEZ, Pritzker made statements about the number of cases and deaths but has not released official ICU reports or hospitalization records. He has reported a total of 380 people have died in Illinois, with 13,549 cases statewide as of April 8. 

Users of Twitter have called attention to this, and say it does not add up. Many are calling the stay at home orders a violation of constitutional rights and could be brought before a federal judge.

Meanwhile, closed hospitals are adding beds added in order to accommodate rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. The public health department says 87 percent of deaths are among those who are above 60, according to KWQC.

Pritzker announced March 26 that he was starting a nonprofit, The Illinois COVID-19, partially funded by his personal fortune, according to The Chicago Tribune. His sister, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, will be the chair. He and his wife contributed $2 million, and it has already collected more than $23 million in donations.

According to WGN9 News, Pritzker says he’s done “almost all he can” to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Illinois.

State officials are working to open a field hospital, as well as partially opening medical facilities that recently closed. The National Corps of Army Engineers is working to add 3,000 beds to McCormick Place. In addition 500 beds will be made available at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island and  Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, and 230 beds will be readied at Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park.

According to WTTW News, the demand for beds and ventilators could exceed supply. There are 26,025 hospital beds available throughout Illinois. As of March 23, more than half of them were occupied, with demand expected to increase until mid-April.