The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued a warning on Thursday that CO- VID-19 case rates are slowly rising in many areas of the state and that members of the public should be paying close attention to conditions in their local com- munities and staying up-to-date on their vaccination status.

“While hospitalizations and deaths tied to COVID-19 remain stable at this time, we are see- ing a slow increase in cases in many areas of the state,” said Acting IDPH Director Amaal Tokars. “This is a reminder that we all need to remain vigilant and remain up-to-date on our vaccinat...