Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and state officials speak at a press conference in Chicago on April 19, 2020. | Photo: Illinois Information Service.

Illinois health officials reported just 33 coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, which is the lowest in nearly two weeks.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Sunday 1,197 new coronavirus cases and 33 related deaths. The state’s COVID-19 total has reached 30,357 cases and 1,290 deaths. The number of people tested so far is at 143,318, data shows.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his administration continues to evaluate the stay-at-home order and how and when Illinois will reopen.

“I want people to get back to work. I want people to go back to school. And I want us to have a great summer. And so I’m looking for all the best ways to make that happen. But we’re in the middle of an emergency, a pandemic, it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen,” Pritzker said on Sunday.

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Pritzker also said during his daily press conference that another airlift of personal protection equipment will arrive in Illinois on Monday.

IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said that as the state increases testing, there will be more positive cases reported. Respondents to a recently survey by the state show that 69% of them who tested positive for COVID-19 had recovered 28 days later.

Ezike said on Saturday that case growth is slowing even though the numbers continue to climb. “That is definitely a good thing. But we must continue to be strong and hold the line. I know people are getting tired of hearing the same message, but the same tactics continue to apply,” she said, adding that people should continue to stay home, wash their hands and wear a mask.

Pritzker announced on Friday that remote learning across all schools in the state will continue through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

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“Iโ€™ve said time and time again, our decisions must follow the science and the science says our students canโ€™t go back to their normal routine this school year,” Pritzker said.

“Over the last month, Illinoisโ€™ schools have stepped up and faced the many challenges of COVID-19 with generosity, creativity, and a resolute focus on caring for students, parents and communities. I am confident that our schools will manage and expand the learning opportunities for all our children who will be working from home over the coming weeks,” he added.

Illinois will receive approximately $569 million in federal funding for K-12 schools, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Each public school district will receive CARES Act funding proportional to the number of low-income students they serve.

The funding can help provide students with technology and internet access to enhance remote learning, support teachers in developing their remote instruction skills, and assist schools in continuing to provide meals to children and communities, the governor’s office.

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“Our school buildings may be closed, but the hearts and minds of our teachers and students are wide open,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala.

“This pandemic has altered the fabric of how we teach, learn, and connect, but it has not shaken the core of what our schools do, which is take care of Illinoisโ€™ children and prepare them for whatโ€™s next,” Ayala said.