IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike reported that a cluster of infection has hit Stateville Correctional Center, reporting that 12 incarcerated people at Stateville are now hospitalized with seven on ventilator support. 77 inmates who have symptoms and 11 staff with symptoms are being isolated within the facility. She said IDOC is taking steps to impose safety measures within prisons, which pose some of the same challenges as places like nursing homes.

Dr. Ezike also reported 461 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total cases up to 5,057, and 8 additional deaths, bringing the state's total death toll to 73 deaths.

Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot spoke today about the efforts to convert McCormick Place into a COVID-19 field hospital. Pritzker said 500 beds will be operational within the week, with efforts in place to increase the full capacity to 3,000 beds by late April. 750 of those beds will be intensive care.

Pritzker clarified that the McCormick field hospital will be for overflow in the event hospitals run out of capacity.

He said two more such facilities are being explored, at MetroSouth Hospital in Blue Island and Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

He also spoke about the state's ongoing efforts to obtain sufficient personal protective equipment for health care workers, detailing specific requests the state has made to the federal government. Those requests have not been sufficiently met, he said, and he again called on the president to invoke the Defense Production Act to ramp up the manufacture of such items.

Mayor Lightfoot reiterated the need for strong social distancing, praising the vast majority of Chicagoans who continue to do so.​

The governor was asked if the state is behind in testing the population. “Every state is behind,” he responded. “Any governor who’s being honest would tell you.”

He was also asked why every patient in every hospital isn’t being tested and he said once again it comes down to not having enough tests.