March 10, 2020 – Illinois confirmed its first coronavirus cases outside the Chicago area, as the state’s infection tally hit 19, and the governor raised questions about whether large-scale gatherings can go ahead. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and health officials said at a news conference in Chicago that two of eight new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in people in suburbs outside Cook County and that neither knowingly traveled to an affected area or had contact with an infected person. The new coronavirus that has sickened thousands across the globe causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can sometimes be fatal. The 2 cases outside Chicago include a woman in her 60s from Kane County and a teenage male from McHenry County.
