Illinois reports more than 4,000 new Covid-19 cases

2:39 p.m. ET, October 18, 2020

Illinois reports more than 4,000 new Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Gisela Crespo

Travelers walk through Terminal 1 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, on October 14. Nam Y. Huh/AP

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported Sunday 4,245 new Covid-19 cases and 22 additional deaths.

The preliminary seven-day positivity rate in the state is 5.3%. The state is also reporting 2,012 people are hospitalized with Covid-19 as of last night, including 408 patients in the ICU and 157 on ventilators.

Illinois has reported 344,048 coronavirus cases to date and 9,214 total deaths.

NOTE: These numbers were released by the state's department of public health and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

2:35 p.m. ET, October 18, 2020

Minnesota reports more than 1,700 new Covid-19 cases and 17 additional deaths

From CNN's Gisela Crespo

Minnesota reported 1,732 new Covid-19 cases Sunday and 17 additional deaths, according to the state's department of health.

This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases in the state to 122,812 and 2,234 total deaths.

The latest data from John Hopkins University shows Minnesota has seen daily coronavirus case counts of more than 1,000 for 10 consecutive days. The state reported its highest daily count since the pandemic started, 2,290, on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins.

NOTE: New Covid-19 numbers reported Sunday were released by the Minnesota Department of Health and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

1:38 p.m. ET, October 18, 2020

Cuomo says National Governors Association sent the White House questions about vaccine distribution

From CNN's Laura Ly

The National Governors Association (NGA), a bipartisan association of the nation’s governors, has submitted a list of 36 questions to the White House about how to properly distribute and administer a Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at a press conference Sunday.

Cuomo said that although New York state authorities are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect New York lives, he said state governments will need the assistance of the federal government to safely and effectively coordinate vaccine distribution.

“This is a larger operational undertaking than anything we have done under Covid to date,” Cuomo said. “We need the federal government to be a competent partner.”

According to Cuomo, the questions that the NGA has submitted to the White House include:

How will the vaccine be allocated to the states – by infection rate? By population?
Who determines how many doses each state will get?
Is there a national strategy for prioritization when vaccine supply runs short?
What latitude will states have in determining prioritization?
Who will pay for the vaccine and all of its related personnel costs?

12:36 p.m. ET, October 18, 2020

Covid-19 positivity rate in New York's "red zones" is 3.19% and overall state rate is 1.08%, governor says

People walk past closed stores in the Borough Park section of Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs of New York City, on October 9. Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images

The average Covid-19 positivity rate in New York’s specific “red zone” focus areas in Brooklyn, Queens, Rockland, and Orange Counties is currently 3.19%, down from 4.34% on Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday.

New York’s overall positivity rate, with the red zones included, is 1.08%, Cuomo said.

As of Saturday, 1,784 more New Yorkers have tested positive for Covid-19 and 7 more have died, Cuomo said.

One thing to note: These numbers were released by New York state, and may not line up exactly in real time with CNN’s database drawn from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.

2:07 p.m. ET, October 18, 2020

Italy reports 5th day of record increases in Covid-19 cases

From CNN’s Nicola Ruotolo in Rome

People wearing protective masks walk across the Piazza del Duomo in Milan on October 17. Italy's government has made it mandatory to wear face protection outdoors, in an attempt to counter the spread of the coronavirus. Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

Italy has recorded a record daily increase of coronavirus cases for the fifth day running, with another 11,705 positives reported, the national Civil Protection Agency said Sunday.

There have been an additional 69 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the number of deaths to 36,543.

As of Sunday, 750 coronavirus patients remain in ICU – up by 45.

12:23 p.m. ET, October 18, 2020

New York ski resorts can open at 50% indoor capacity beginning next month, governor says

From CNN's Laura Ly

Ski resorts in New York state will be allowed to open at 50% indoor capacity beginning on Nov. 6, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday.

Here are the restrictions at reopened ski resorts:

Masks will be required at all times, except when eating, drinking or skiing.
Social distancing is required between parties.
Ski gondolas and lifts must be restricted to members of the same party.
Ski lessons will be limited to a maximum of 10 people.
Shared rental equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Food, beverage, retail and shuttle operations must conform to social distancing guidance.
Mountain capacity must be reduced by 25% on “peak” days or if multiple trails are closed due to poor conditions.

12:22 p.m. ET, October 18, 2020

South Carolina reports more than 700 new Covid-19 cases and 12 deaths

From CNN’s Natasha Chen

The state of South Carolina announced 722 new confirmed cases and 12 additional confirmed deaths due to coronavirus, on Sunday.

That brings the state total to at least 157,394 confirmed cases and 3,439 confirmed deaths since the pandemic began.

The state’s positivity rate is currently tracking at 10.3%, which is down slightly from Saturday’s rate of 11.4%

11:47 a.m. ET, October 18, 2020

NFL reports no new positive Covid-19 tests

From CNN's Homero DeLaFuente

Cole Beasley of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball while being tackled by Jayon Brown of the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium on October 13, in Nashville, Tennessee. Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

The National Football League confirmed there are no new positive tests for Covid-19 ahead of Sunday’s action, a league source told CNN.

The league has 12 games scheduled for Sunday and two more on Monday.

11:19 a.m. ET, October 18, 2020

UK records more than 16,000 new Covid-19 cases

From CNN’s Lindsay Isaac in London

The UK recorded another 16,982 on Sunday, an increase of 811 from Saturday.

The number of deaths however saw a decrease to 67 in the past 24 hours, according to government data.

October 18 coronavirus news