Chicago travel update: Arkansas removed, advisory stands at 40 states, 1 territory

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Department of Public Health removed one state from its weekly COVID-19 Travel Advisory Tuesday.

The video featured is from a previous report.

The city's COVID-19 quarantine advisory now includes 40 states and one territory after the removal of Arkansas.

Alabama, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia, are eligible to come off the Travel Advisory next week, according to the report.

States are removed from the Travel Advisory when they maintain a daily COVID case rate below 15 per 100,000 residents in two consecutive weeks.

RELATED: Illinois COVID Update: IL reports 2,245 cases, 22 deaths

As of Tuesday, every state or territory except for Arkansas, Connecticut, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the Virgin Islands are on the Travel Advisory.

Officials recommend that unvaccinated travelers should get tested one to three days before leaving on the trip as well as getting tested three to five days after returning. Unvaccinated travelers are asked to self-quarantine for seven days after returning from travel even if they test negative. Those who do not get tested should self-quarantine for 10 days after travel and avoid those at high-risk for COVID for 14 days after travel.

CDPH reminds unvaccinated travelers that under the Advisory, they should be tested for COVID before and after travel from any state on the advisory list and should quarantine upon arrival in Chicago.

The U.S. average daily case rate per 100,000 residents is 21.4, which is up from 17.8 last week, and nearly double Chicago's daily case rate of 11.5. Illinois' daily case rate currently is 16.5, its highest in more than four weeks.

"For many of us, our thoughts are turning to Thanksgiving, in the hope that we can celebrate among family and friends, like we did before COVID," said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. "If you want some peace of mind, not only for yourself but for those you'll be joining for Thanksgiving, make sure you are fully vaccinated by Nov. 11."

The video in the player above is from an earlier report.