KEY POINTS

  • The first deal is with Cambria Chicago Magnificent mile for 215 rooms
  • The city likely will pay $175 a night, including three meals a day
  • The action was seen as a way to help the struggling hotel industry hit hard by curtailed travel

The city of Chicago reportedly is planning to rent thousands of hotel rooms to house people who test positive for coronavirus or have been exposed to it to try to stop spread of the illness.

The Chicago Tribune reported Monday the city has agreed to rent out the 215-room Cambria Chicago Magnificent Mile and has deals with other hotels in the offing to isolate those with milder infections and those awaiting test results, as well as some for healthcare workers who don’t want to risk bringing the virus home.

Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar told the Tribune the city hopes to have as many as 4,000 rooms available. The city likely will pay $175 a night, including three meals.

The action was expected to be announced formally at an afternoon news conference even though there currently is no shortage of hospital beds in the city. It’s seen as a way to help the struggling hotel industry, which has been hit hard by the curtailment of travel and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s decision to close all bars and restaurant dining rooms.

Pritzker ordered state residents to shelter in place beginning Saturday at 5 p.m. He has locked horns with the administration, tweeting at one point that the administration should get its “s@#t together.”

Pritzker on CNN Sunday criticized the federal government lack of support for state efforts to secure medical supplies, saying federal mismanagement has pitted states against each other in bidding for limited supplies.

Trump reacted negatively to the criticism, calling Pritzker a failure.

Pritzker responded by accusing Trump of wasting “precious months wen you could’ve taken action” and telling him to “get off twitter and do you job.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot jumped into the fray, urging Trump to stop “yammering about hoaxes and fake news,” and noting Pritzker and others have jumped in to fill “this country’s leadership gap.”

On Monday, Trump said everybody is overreacting even though the number of confirmed U.S. infections have topped 41,000 and deaths were climbing toward 600.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1241935285916782593

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