Illinois nursing homes with ‘serious quality issues’ face coronavirus outbreaks
Four Illinois nursing homes already identified by federal medical authorities as having a history of serious quality issues have suffered outbreaks of the coronavirus…
Dylan Tiger
A summary of IDOC county jail inspection report answers regarding isolation cells. One report marked both 'Yes' and 'No'. Some jails have not been inspected since 2018.
Most Illinois county jail facilities lacked isolation cells for disease, documents show
As the coronavirus outbreak hit Illinois, many county jails lacked a standard cell needed to isolate infected inmates who had a respiratory illness, according to a review by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting of annual jail inspections. The Covid-19 outbreak at the Cook County Jail and other metropolitan jails across the country has received wide attention, but jails in downstate Illinois have come under little scrutiny. In addition, officials at many jails contacted by telephone by the CU-CitizenAccess and the Midwest Center about their efforts to combat the virus did not return calls, abruptly hung up, or told reporters to call later with no additional information given.
International travelers needed to wait in long lines for hours at Delhi International Airport on March 20, 2020. "We were made to wait behind glass doors to join the actual line which led to the immigration counters," said Maheshwari.
Coronavirus leaves international students scrambling to get home
Yashovardhan Maheshwari, a freshman at the University of Illinois’ Urbana-Champaign campus, was aboard one of the last planes allowed to fly to India on…
The line before the first immigration counter line and after the thermal screening at Delhi International Airport in Delhi on March 20, 2020.
First-person account of my travel experience during Coronavirus
Yashovardhan Maheshwari shares his travel story to India during spring break amidst uncertainty from the University of Illinois and air travel policies.
Darrell Hoemann
Champaign-Urbana Nursing and Rehab (302 Burwash Ave, Savoy) on Monday, April 6, 2020. The care facility has been cited for a deficiency in infection prevention and control in 2019. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess
Numerous nursing homes cited for problems in infection prevention programs
At a time when nursing homes nationally are facing outbreaks of coronavirus, a review of federal inspection data reveals that more than half of nursing homes in Illinois were cited for deficiencies in infection prevention and control in 2019. The review of the federal data on Illinois nursing homes by CU-CitizenAccess and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting found that 396 of about 720 active nursing homes that are Medicare & Medicaid certified have been cited for deficiencies in infection prevention and control in 2019. The reports showed that nursing homes did not have adequate measures to “provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.” "Infection control practices are vitally important for long-term care facilities at all times, but especially now as we are facing a national emergency fighting COVID-19," said Kelly Richards the Illinois State Long Term Care Ombudsman, "It is imperative that all facilities follow infection control guidance issued by the CDC and the IL Dept. of Public Health." Infection prevention programs at nursing homes have come under scrutiny since the start of the COVID19 outbreak, as residents and staff members from numerous facilities have tested positive and died. According to the Illinois Public Health Department, 213 Illinois long term care facilities have COVID cases, as of April 8. Illinois has 773 cases associated with long-term care facilities (including assisted living), which includes patients and staff, the department said.
MTD Managing Director salary far exceeds other employees’ pay
In 2017, the MTD awarded Gnadt, who has worked at MTD since 1995 and has been director since July 1, 2014, a five-year contract during which he will be awarded an annual 2.75 percent pay raise. The contract was approved unanimously by the MTD board members and runs until June 30, 2022.