Zone 2 enables improved mitigation of coronavirus; All Illinois is now subject to stricter rules – NBC Chicago

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced Sunday that District 2, located in the western part of the state, will see improved coronavirus mitigation after reporting a positive rate of more than 8% for three consecutive days.

With this announcement, all 11 health care districts in Illinois will now operate under strengthened mitigation rules as a result of high positivity and hospitalization rates.

The governor said the new rules will take effect on Wednesday.

Zone 2 includes Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, Putnam, Kendall, Grundy, Mercer, Knox, Henderson, Warren, McDonough, Fulton, Stark, Marshall, Peoria, Tazwell, McLean, Woodford and LSal counties.

Under the new rules, all in-house restaurants and bar service will be suspended for at least two weeks, with pool sizes now limited to 50 people or fewer.

“I know that the vast majority of people in this state want to keep themselves, their families, their children, their parents, their neighbors and their friends safe,” Pritzker said in a statement. “With cases, hospitalizations and deaths soaring across our state, across the Midwest and across the country, we must act responsibly and collectively to protect the people we love.”

Currently, nine other areas in the state operate under the same restrictions as Region 2, with Region 1 operating under Layer 2 restrictions in the northwestern corner of the state. There, group sizes are more limited, with 10 or fewer people allowed to congregate, according to health officials.