Central Illinois Health Departments are reporting 19 new COVID-19 cases and no deaths over the last 24 hours as Illinois continues to ramp up testing. Sangamon County reported 13 new cases while Macon County reported 5 new ones and Montgomery posted a new case as well. Governor JB Pritzker announced further developments on the work of helping people collect unemployment at his daily press conference. 

The Governor says that the new phone systems for unemployment lines are now operational.

There are still concerns over enough child care, but the Governor reassured everyone that there will be plenty of childcare when we reach Phase 3, despite most child care centers not being able to open until phase 4. There is also concern over how fall sports will work if some regions are open and others are not. Governor Pritzker addressed questions concerning the way that regions were drawn. 

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 2,641 new cases of COVID-19 including 138 new deaths which brings the total amount to 70,873 cases including 3,111 deaths in 97 of the 102 counties in Illinois. IDPH tested 17,783 people in the last 24 hours and overall have tested 379,043 people. Listen every afternoon at 2:30 for Governor Pritzker’s daily press conferences on the coronavirus on NEWSTALK WTIM and its many platforms. For local numbers click on the icon for coronavirus cases by county and for the latest closings, cancellations, and businesses that are open visit Taylorville Daily News.