By Dave Dahl

CHICAGO- Illinois Sunday added 899 positive coronavirus cases to its total, which is now 11,256, including 274 deaths. And Illinois Department of Public Health director Dr. Ngozi Ezike addressed the statistics which show black Illinoisans are especially hard hit.

“About thirty percent of positive cases are African-American,” Ezike told Sunday’s coronavirus briefing. “We know all too well there are general disparities in health outcomes that play along these racial lines. We have worked to ensure that all of our communities can access the health care that they need as COVID-19 spreads, and we will make sure that resources are directed where they are needed most.”

Gov. JB Pritzker, unhappy that border states Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin have not matched Illinois’ response to coronavirus, notes this pandemic is not assured to be the last. “No doubt this was a massive red alert to everyone that this could happen — and it can happen with a much more severe virus potentially.”

Other than the update and question-and-answer for coronavirus itself, the main point of Pritzker’s briefing Sunday was to inform child care providers around the state of the help that is available. Those who are not already part of the state’s Child Care Assistance Program may be eligible to join it on an emergency basis. They may get information and apply online:

dhs.illinois.gov/helpishere

coronavirus.illinois.gov