Illinois COVID-19: IL reports 1,477 new coronavirus cases, 7 deaths; Gov. Pritzker touts testing milestones

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials announced 1,477 new cases of COVID-19 Monday along with seven additional deaths.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois now stands at 275,735 with 8,457 deaths, the IDPH reported.

As of Sunday night, 1,436 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, with 364 patients in the ICU and and 153 on ventilators.

Over a 24-hours period, officials said the state processed more than 38,234 specimens for a total of 5,143,387. The seven-day positivity rate from September 14 - September 20 is 3.5%

The deaths reported Monday include:

-Cook County: 1 male 50s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s

-Ford County: 1 male 60s

-Macon County: 1 female 80s

At a press conference Monday morning, Governor JB Pritzker touted testing milestones the state has reached in its fight against COVID-19.

Governor Pritzker said the state processed a record 74,000 tests in a one-day period and the state is averaging 52,000 tets a day, which he said is tied for third in the nation behind only California and New York.

The governor said Illinois became one of the first states to surpass 5 million tests since the start of the pandemic.

"These nation-leading accomplishments have allowed Illinoisans do to what most states can't. There's a testing location and testing available for you if you feel you need one and you can get one even without a doctor's order," Pritzker said. "For families, businesses, schools and churches, that means there is a measure of safety here in Illinois that doesn't exist in most other states."

"Testing is a critical step in reducing the spread of the virus, because a positive test result begins the contact tracing process, which identifies who was exposed and needs to be quarantined to prevent further spread," said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. "Currently IDPH has 11 community-based testing sites around the state, as well as mobile testing teams that are deployed each week to various locations throughout Illinois. Anyone can go there to get tested, or at any state testing site. You don't have to have symptoms, or a doctor's referral or order, and there is no cost to you for testing."