Illinois Coronavirus: 3,000 More Beds At McCormick Place

ILLINOIS — Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave a progress report Monday on efforts to expand the state's capacity to care for Illinois coronavirus victims, as work continues to outfit McCormick Place in Chicago as an alternate care facility. A total of 3,000 additional beds will be available when work at the convention center is complete.

The state's death toll is now at 73.

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Pritzker praised the National Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers, saying the state received a shipment of 500 beds Saturday that will be ready later this week. Another 500 beds will be ready by next week.

Pritzker said the next 1,250 beds will be in place by April 20, and 750 acute care beds will be in place by the end of April.

"McCormick Place will be dedicated to mostly non-acute COVID-19 patients," Pritzker said, but that could change. "This is an evolving situation."

Two closed hospitals are also being brought back online. The shuttered MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island is also being reopened to care for coronavirus patients. The state is also working to create coronavirus bed capacity at the former site of Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

Meanwhile, Pritzker said an inmate at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill has died from COVID-19. A dozen other inmates are hospitalized, and some are on ventilators. There are 77 more inmates with symptoms who are isolated at the facility. Eleven staff are also being isolated.

Also read: Illinois Coronavirus Update March 30: Death Toll Hits 73