Gov. J.B. Pritzker answers reporters’ questions during a COVID-19 briefing May 22 in his office at the Capitol in Springfield. (Pool photo by Justin L. Fowler/State Journal-Register)

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Friday that more than a million people in Illinois have now been tested for COVID-19, or nearly 8 percent of the state’s population.

“This milestone is the result of the incredible work of so many people behind the scenes in state government, in our National Guard, in our public and private hospital and health care systems all around the state — people who were willing to battle it out to build out a testing infrastructure that is accurate, efficient, and accessible,” Pritzker said in a statement. “And we’re still building — but I’m very proud to be one of the earliest states to hit this landmark.”

The announcement came as the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,156 new confirmed cases of the disease and 59 additional virus-related deaths over the previous 24 hours. That brings the statewide total since the pandemic began to 125,915 cases and 5,795 deaths. The disease has been reported in 101 counties. Scott County remains the only county in Illinois without a confirmed case.

In addition to those cases, IDPH reported the first confirmed case in a pet animal. A pet cat tested positive after becoming sick in mid-May. The cat lived in a home with people who had tested positive for the virus. IDPH said there is no evidence the disease can be transmitted from animals to humans, but it advised people who are sick to distance themselves from pets as well as people.

In the 24-hour period between Thursday and Friday afternoon, laboratories reported 18,903 specimens. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate for May 29 through June 4 was 6 percent.

Illinois has opened 11 community-based testing sites where anyone can get tested at no cost, regardless of symptoms. No appointment, doctor referral or insurance is required. Those sites have the capacity to test 6,000 people per day.

The sites are located in Aurora, the Auburn/Gresham/Chatham area of Chicago, the Harwood Heights area of Chicago, Bloomington, Champaign, East St. Louis, Peoria, Rockford, Rolling Meadows, South Holland and Waukegan.

There are also 279 other public sites where Illinoisans can access tests. Of those, 108 are at Federally Qualified Health Centers

A list of public and private testing sites can be found on the IDPH website: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/testing.

IDPH also recommends that anyone who has recently participated in mass gatherings, including recent rallies and protests, to get tested five to seven days after attending the event, or immediately after developing symptoms.

phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com