Illinois Reports Highest 24-Hour Death Toll Since Coronavirus Pandemic Began - NBC Chicago

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Illinois reported its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic so far as the state prepares to begin reopening in the coming weeks, state officials announced Tuesday.

The state reported a total of 176 fatalities since Monday, lifting the death toll statewide to 2,838.

The increase in deaths is "the largest number of fatalities reported in a single 24-hour period," according to Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

State health officials also reported a total of 2,122 new infections among the 13,139 tests performed in the last 24 hours. The statewide total for confirmed cases now sits at 65,962, with 346,286 tests administered since the pandemic began.

The news comes as Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a five-phased reopening plan for Illinois, which could enter its next phase at the end of the month.

"We have to figure out how to live with COVID-19 until it can be vanquished – and to do so in a way that best supports our residents’ health and our healthcare systems, and saves the most lives,"Pritzker said Tuesday.