In its largest single-day increase since the coronavirus pandemic began, Illinois reports 1,287 new COVID-19 cases and 73 more deaths.

The new numbers bring Illinois’ total number of confirmed cases to 13,549 and deaths to 380, according to Governor J.B. Pritzker. “There are so many tragedies here,” Pritzker said after revealing the new totals on Tuesday (4/7/20). “Let these numbers today be a reminder that this pandemic is deadly serious, so stay at home.”

Of Illinois’ confirmed COVID-19 patients, 1,166 are currently in intensive care units, state data reveals. About half of those patients are surviving on ventilators, health officials say.

Will history remember the coronavirus pandemic as being as deadly as the black plague? Has the pandemic become the worst thing that’s ever happened to the U.S.?