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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gives COVID-19 update, cautions against ingesting, injecting household disinfectants

There have been 2,119 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 41,777 cases. And 80 more people have died bringing the total deaths to 1,874
Credit: AP
FILE - In this March 30, 2020 file photo, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks at the Thompson Center in Chicago during the daily update on the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP File)

CHICAGO — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker gave an update on the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

There have been 2,119 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 41,777 cases. And 80 more people have died bringing the total deaths to 1,874.

Governor Pritzker and Dr. Ngozi Ezike with the Illinois Department of Public Health also cautioned against the ingesting, injecting or snorting of household cleaners, citing an increased amount of calls to the Illinois Poison Center.

During his coronavirus briefing Friday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the state met its goal of 10,000 COVID-19 tests per day.

"Testing is really key to everything else we need to do, to get Illinois moving again," he said.

He also cautioned that antibody tests are not entirely reliable, saying they offer a false sense of security.

"As soon as they prove themselves accurate and reliable, I will make them a priority to get them into our communities," he said.

Pritzker announced Thursday that he will extend the state's stay-at-home order through May. The new order also requires people who are over the age of 2 and medically able to wear face coverings in public.

Pritzker said he will sign the official extension next week and it will take effect on May 1.

The state is projected to see a peak or plateau of deaths per day between late April and early May, Pritzker said.

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