Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, announced Tuesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.
"Earlier today, I tested positive for COVID-19," the mayor tweeted around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday. "I am experiencing cold-like symptoms but otherwise feel fine which I credit to being vaccinated and boosted."
The mayor said she plans to continue working from home as she follows isolation guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This is an urgent reminder for folks to get vaccinated and boosted as it's the only way to beat this pandemic," she said in a statement.
This comes as the Chicago reports an average of 4,793 new COVID cases per day, a drop from last week's 5,189. Hospitalizations, however, are averaging 187 per day, an increase of 37% in the last week. Deaths are also reporting an increase of 25% in the last week.
The city's top doctor, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, stressed Tuesday that the omicron surge is still ongoing, despite a potential flattening of cases.
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"This is still a very bad surge and I don't want people to think otherwise," Arwady said while giving a COVID-19 update Tuesday afternoon. "And I really don't want people to think sort of it's over, it is extremely not over."
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted Tuesday afternoon wishing Lightfoot a "full and speedy recovery."
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"I encourage all Illinoisans to follow in the Mayor's footsteps and get vaccinated, get boosted, and get tested - it's how we bring this pandemic to an end," he wrote.
