CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois is approaching 12,000 deaths from COVID-19 with the addition of 131 newly reported fatalities. The Illinois Department of Public Health says the 131 deaths reported Thursday bring the state to 11,963 deaths. The state also has 12,022 new confirmed and probable cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 697,489. Department Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike says the first sign of a post-Thanksgiving wave of coronavirus infections would arise in cases within the next week or two. That could be followed by a new surge in hospitalizations and deaths.
