Gov. JB Pritzker called on the General Assembly to return to Springfield and enact economic relief efforts. Among the points he urged lawmakers to take up:

• Comprehensive economic relief plans for families, small businesses and small towns.
• Significantly increasing rent assistance for individuals as well as rent and mortgage assistance for small businesses.
• Assistance for businesses that expressly prioritizes those ignored by the Paycheck Protection Program.

He later clarified that he hoped the General Assembly would return before the end of the month but said he wasn’t going to order a special session, in part because he didn’t know if lawmakers would show up.

The governor also announced that DCEO will administer a $25 million grant program for local governments to fund infrastructure projects. DCEO will host webinars in the coming days to assist local governments with applying. He also announced a $75 million grant program to hospitals, which will disburse through June.

All this came as the state reported the largest single day tally of new infections at 4,014 cases, which comes a little more than a week after beautiful weekend weather saw many people ignoring social distancing and stay-at-home orders.

IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike reported 144 additional deaths, bringing the state's total death toll to 3,601. She reported a statewide COVID-19 test positivity rate of 18%, and explained that the data reflects a week-long period with three days of lag to allow for better verification.

The state also received 29,266 test results in the last 24 hours, the highest testing mark to date.

Addressing concerns about the veracity of the death toll, Dr. Ezike said all COVID-19 deaths that have been tabulated as such are done so because they have laboratory confirmation of the presence of the virus in the deceased person. She said past cases may not have been counted if there was no suspicion of the virus' presence, and that efforts are being taken to ensure that deceased persons who died of, for instance, a gunshot wound, would not be counted amid the COVID-19 death toll. At the same time, many who have died have had other less clear-cut underlying health concerns, such as cancer.

Taking questions from reporters, the governor said he wouldn’t rule out withholding federal disaster aid from communities that intentionally disobey his executive orders. The question was prompted by Pennsylvania’s governor making that threat yesterday.

“We would consider that,” Pritzker said.

He said most people in Illinois are following the orders and the small minority who aren’t are guided by partisanship and are not following any science or data.

Pritzker said the state supplies lots of support for cities and counties, there are numerous methods of executive enforcement but that he hoped to not have to use them.

Asked about unemployed workers getting bank cards but being unable to access any benefits, Pritzker said those cards are often mailed out before final approval of the applicant and that IDES and the bank are working through the issue.

The governor was asked to comment on the Elmhurst mayor’s demand that DuPage County be treated differently than Chicago and be allowed to reopen.

Gov. Pritzker and his staff conducted their press conference from Zoom today on news that a member of his senior staff has tested positive for COVID-19. The governor opened by assuring Illinoisans that the governor's office remains open and all precautions are being taken to prevent further spread among staff. Pritzker reported that the state's updated models indicate the state's peak has been pushed to mid-to-late-June and acknowledged that hearing it will be hard for many.

"So far we are not seeing significant declines in key metrics like hospitalizations," Pritzker said in explaining the situation. "Remember that no one can stop this virus without a vaccine. What we've tried to do is slow down the exponential rate of transmission. Pushing the peak down and therefore to a longer time frame may not sound like good news to some, but I promise you, it is saving lives."

Pritzker also gave a report on each of the four hospitalization regions' progress with regard to progressing toward Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan. He reported all four regions have exceeded all relevant metrics with the exception that the Northeast region, which includes Chicago, still has a COVID-19 positivity rate a few points above 20%, but he pointed out there is still time for the region to reduce that rate in time to progress to Phase 3 come May 28, the first day on which it possibly could. The governor pledged to provide regular reports on these metrics in the coming weeks.

IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said the state received a shipment of Remdesivir from the federal government, the drug which clinical trials have recently found to reduce the recovery time for COVID-19. One-hundred and forty cases of the meds were distributed to 14 hospitals throughout the state with considerations made for the volume of cases, the need in minority communities, and other metrics, Ezike said.

Dr. Ezike also said IDPH is tracking cases at Illinois veteran homes, including 40 current cases at a home in Manteno, of which 30 are residents and 10 are staff. One resident has fallen ill at the LaSalle County home, and testing is taking place at homes in Anna and Quincy, though neither have yet reported positive cases.

Dr. Ezike reported 54 additional deaths, bringing the state's total death toll to 3,459. In the last 24 hours the state confirmed 1,266 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the state's total to 79,007 cases.

In taking questions from the media, the governor said he is not identifying the employee who is infected but said the employee did not attend daily press briefings. He talked to the employee today and the person is feeling “fine” and remains asymptomatic.

The governor did the briefing from his home in Chicago.

Asked about the appearance that he’d had his hair cut, the governor said he has self-clipped the sides and had one of his children take a little off the back.

“I’m glad that it looks like I’ve had a haircut”

Asked if there’s a succession plan should be become Illinois, the governor said yes, it’s in the state constitution.

Asked about problems with the new unemployment system launch today, the governor said the entire state phone system had problems today. He said a large number of peole were getting through on the launch day of the new system.

The two minority Republican leaders have asked the governor to reconsider his 28-day measurement plan for relaxing restrictions and replace it with a 14-day plan. Pritzker noted that he announced his plan on May 6 and there are only 22 days left in the measurement phase.

He said the 14-day White House plan is more stringent than his 28-day plan in that the White House plan requires two weeks of declining results whereas the Illinois plan is 28-days of stability.

Pritzker said the earliest date the state would see additional openings would likely be May 29.

Asked about a Quincy bar and grill that opened and local officials’ refusal to enforce any restrictions against it, the governor said any business that opens risks spreading infections and effectively putting the regional economy at risk.

Dr. Ezike was asked about the Mother’s Day sermon she delivered yesterday via social media for her church. She said she’s not shy about sharing that she is nothing without her source of strength, her faith.