Illinois

Botulism hospitalizations linked to cosmetic procedures in Illinois, other states

Published

7 months ago

April 16, 2024

Botulism hospitalizations linked to cosmetic procedures in Illinois, other states

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now investigating a series of hospitalizations across nine states, including Illinois, linked to mishandled or counterfeit Botox injections.

The CDC said that it, along with local health departments and the Food and Drug Administration, were investigating reports of 19 people who had experienced symptoms from botulism injections provided by those who may not have had the licensing or training to conduct the procedure, or who were doing so in a non-health care setting. In addition, the products provided may have been counterfeit or came from unverified sources.

More: Illinois issues warning on cosmetic procedures after 2 hospitalized with botulism symptoms

At least 60% of those affected were hospitalized and another four needed to receive a botulism anti-toxin out of concern that the toxin may have spread to areas outside the injection site.

What are the symptoms of botulism?

Those affected reported symptoms such as blurry or double vision, fatigue, difficulty breathing or swallowing, slurred speech, drooping eyelids, dry mouth and generalized weakness.

According to the CDC, all who reported symptoms were women between the ages of 25 and 59, with all but one receiving the injection for a cosmetic purpose.

Illinois and other stakes warn of mishandled or fake Botox

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported last week that at least two people in LaSalle County had reported similar symptoms following a procedure with a licensed nurse acting outside her professional authority. They also warned that medical facilities needed to be on the lookout for others with the same condition.

Other states affected include Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Washington.

The CDC recommends that people looking to receive Botox injections verify if the medical facility they choose has those licensed to provide Botox injections and if the product provided is approved by the FDA. They also ask that people experiencing symptoms of botulism to contact their medical provider or go to the hospital immediately.

More: When will the cicadas emerge in 2024? Two broods of cicadas to come out in Illinois

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Illinois

View map: Illinois Nov. 5, 2024, General Election results by county

Published

5 hours ago

October 31, 2024

Press Room

View map: Illinois Nov. 5, 2024, General Election results by county

Check the Illinois 2024 Nov. 5 presidential election results here

Here is an interactive map showing Nov. 5, 2024, General Election results by Illinois county.

—> Click here to view complete General Election coverage.

More interactive election results maps:

Here’s a look at the nationwide results map:

Michigan 2024 General Election Results

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Illinois

Why are most Illinois schools closed on Election Day?

Published

13 hours ago

October 31, 2024

Press Room

Why are most Illinois schools closed on Election Day?

While many students will still attend classes on Election Day next week, most public school students in Illinois won’t be among them.

Under provisions of an amendment to Illinois’ school code, Election Day is an official state holiday for the 2024 election season, meaning that children in K-12 public schools will not be required to attend classes.

The law also holds that any school that doesn’t have instruction on Election Day can be used by local authorities as a polling place.

In addition to public schools, courthouses and other local and state government facilities, including Secretary of State’s Driver’s Services facilities, will also be closed on Election Day.

Private schools are not included in the terms of the legislation, meaning that students in those institutions may still have class on Tuesday. Universities are also not included, with students in the University of Illinois system still having classes on Election Day.

There have been efforts in the past to make Election Day a federal holiday, but those efforts have not been successful thus far. As a result, many banks, federal facilities including courthouses, and most businesses will be open on Tuesday, according to officials.

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Illinois

Bret Bielema continues rare run with the Illinois football program

Published

20 hours ago

October 31, 2024

Press Room

Bret Bielema continues rare run with the Illinois football program

It has been a pretty special season thus far for the Illinois football team despite the result of the last contest.

If you are judging the 2024 Illini season based on the last game against Oregon, you should probably adjust your expectations a bit. The Ducks have a great program with national title aspirations. Illinois isn’t quite there yet.

That is okay, though. No one thought the Illini would compete for a national championship. Sure, two losses are never a good thing, but they are against two of the top three teams in the country. Sitting a 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten is better than what 99.9% of people thought for this team in 2024.

I have raved about what Bret Bielema has done with the Orange and Blue. This program was completely lost before he entered the picture. The turnaround has been impressive.

Moreover, you know that bottom. You know the floor for Illinois is 5-7 and, in the past, that would have been a decent season. Now that is the worst-case scenario.

Bielema has put Illinois in this position. It is called being competitive and a serious program. Another element Illinois fans need to get used to is the AP Top 25.

Since the turn of the century, Illinois has been ranked in just seven seasons. That is an ugly statistic. Bielema owns two of the seven seasons, and he has only been our coach for four years.

To take that stat further, Bielema has Illinois still in the AP Top 25. We have been ranked in the AP Top 25 for seven straight weeks. The last time an Illini team was ranked seven straight weeks in the AP Top 25 in a season was in 2001. It has been 23 years.

For some of us, the 2001 season doesn’t seem that long ago because we experienced that great run. But if you think about it, anyone who is 23 years old or younger wasn’t even alive for that season, let alone have any memory of the Kurt Kittner era.

My hope is that there will be a few more similarities between the 2024 season and the 2001 campaign.

We have already established the seven straight weeks of being in the AP Top 25. This season, Illinois has beaten three ranked opponents, No. 19 Kansas, No. 22 Nebraska, and No. 24 Michigan. In that 2001 campaign, the Illini also beat three ranked opponents, No. 25 Louisville, No. 20 Purdue, and No. 25 Ohio State.

In 1999, Illinois had a Cinderella season when the program won eight games out of nowhere. We managed to be ranked that season but followed it up with a 2000 season that had us win five games. The 2001 season followed with 10 victories.

In 2022, Illinois came out of nowhere to win eight games and cracked the AP Top 25. Following that season, in 2023, the Illini won five games. Through eight games in 2024, Illinois is 6-2 and has a chance to win 10 games.

Bielema has Illinois football looking good and playing at a level we haven’t seen in over two decades. Being ranked in the AP Top 25 for seven straight weeks is pretty special. Hopefully, we can finish the season strong and get to that 10-win mark.