Good afternoon, it’s Wednesday! And I’m in desperate need of a haircut, because I’m beginning to look like a henchman from a Liam Neeson movie. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Illinois’ total cases could surpass 19,000 next week

That’s according to new projections from Rush, an academic health system in Chicago. But it can be challenging to get an accurate picture of the situation because many sick people are not getting tested, said Dr. Bala Hota, vice president and chief analytics officer at Rush.

When will Illinois reach the peak of infections? The University of Washington predicts April 16. But researchers at Columbia University estimate that if social distancing measures are used and the curve is flattened, cases could plateau into July. [Chicago Tribune]

You can find Rush’s projection calculator here. [Rush]

The news comes as Illinois officials announced 42 new deaths, the largest number of daily fatalities since the outbreak began. That brings the state’s death toll to 141. Officials also announced 986 new cases today, pushing the statewide total of known cases to 6,980.

Earlier in the day, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said a city worker died from COVID-19. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, here is a harrowing account of what’s happening at a triage tent outside of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. [Chicago Sun-Times]

And you really should fill out the census. [WBEZ]

2. Congress considers jobs program as fears grow of long-lasting recession

Democratic and Republican lawmakers are worried the historic $2 trillion relief package won’t be enough to stave off a deep, long-lasting recession caused by the pandemic, which is estimated to kill between 100,000 to 240,000 people in the U.S.

Members of both political parties are considering an infrastructure plan that could create thousands of jobs. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she wanted the bill to focus on upgrading the nation’s broadband, road and water systems.

The moves come as economists are increasingly sounding alarms of an impending global recession that could take years to overcome.

“Everything depends on how long it lasts, but if this goes on for a long time, it’s certainly going to be the mother of all financial crises,” said Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, the nation’s stockpile of critical medical supplies, like gloves and masks, is nearly exhausted, according to Homeland Security officials. [Washington Post]

And most people won’t have to do anything to ensure they get federal stimulus checks. But senior citizens and some low-income people will have to take action. [AP]

3. Pandemic is “most challenging” crisis since WWII, says UN

The head of the United Nations warned today that the unfolding public health crisis, along with its economic fallout, presents the “greatest test” to ever face the international organization.

U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, citing the possibility of a punishing global recession, called for “an immediate coordinated health response to suppress transmission and end the pandemic.”

His comments come as Spain saw a surge in deaths, reporting 849 fatalities within 24 hours.

In the U.K., a 13-year-old boy is among the 381 new deaths reported, pushing the nation’s death toll to 1,789. [BBC]

And Russia is sending aid to the U.S. to help stop the spread of COVID-19. [Politico]

Worldwide, there are more than 910,000 known cases and more than 46,000 deaths. [Johns Hopkins]

4. New York City sees a high rate of hospitalizations of younger patients

About one in five hospitalizations are people under the age of 44, according to the city’s health department, a statistic that is upending early assumptions of who is at risk.

“So many patients are not fitting the picture that we’ve been told from China or Italy. This is not just elderly patients; it’s anyone,” said Dr. Kaedrea Jackson of Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in Manhattan. [Bloomberg]

Meanwhile, 28 students from the University of Texas tested positive for coronavirus after taking a spring break trip to Mexico. [NPR]

The U.S. Coast Guard told a cruise ship to stay away from American ports after it reported cases of COVID-19. [NPR]

Across the U.S., more than 180,000 known cases and more than 4,000 deaths have been reported. [NPR]

5. Rent checks are due today

And landlords and the real estate industry say 40% of New York City renters, and possibly many more, may not send their payments for this month.

The situation could cause a ripple effect, where landlords will also be unable to pay their own bills. And rent payments could further drop in May, when people who lost their jobs in March may have even less money. [New York Times]

In the Chicago area, here’s a look at how landlords and tenants are handling rent payments.

“I framed it as, ‘Let’s start this conversation and see where it goes,’ ” said Ryan Tracy about paying rent for his suburban beer shop. [Chicago Tribune]

Here’s what else is happening

• Have a hard time finding toilet paper? There’s a solution to that. [New York Times]
• Whom does NPR turn to as an expert on social distancing? This guy, but don’t call him a hermit. [NPR]
• A pack of wild goats has claimed a town in northwest Wales as everyone shelters in place. [Buzzfeed News]
• Here’s a look at what’s coming to Netflix this month. [A.V. Club]

Oh, and one more thing …

If you’re looking for a new podcast to listen to, try out Keep Away Corona. The show is hosted by 5-year-old Albie Gill, and it offers a window into how a kid is coping with the pandemic. Albie shares tips on preventing the spread of the virus, and he also checks in on friends and family members to see how they’re doing.

Albie’s dad, Andrew Gill, is a producer for WBEZ’s Sound Opinions, and his mother, Meghan Murphy-Gill, is a hospital chaplain. The whole family talked about how Albie got interested in making a podcast in this interview. [WTTW]

Tell me something good …

WBEZ canceled its spring pledge drive so we can bring you the latest news, uninterrupted, about the COVID-19 pandemic. The pledge drive helps pay for things like this newsletter, and it would mean a lot to me if you considered becoming a member.

And that makes me wonder: What do you enjoy the most about WBEZ?

Julia writes:

“As a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, during this unprecedented time of COVID-19, I’m extremely grateful for the evidence-based, factual information that I can rely on from WBEZ. It is essential that our community has a place to be educated and hear the facts from a reliable source. Thank you for being there.”

And Maria writes:

“I love that the daily Rundowns compile articles from WBEZ/NPR as well as other news sources across the country. I really appreciate getting access to a wide variety of sources all in one place.”

What do you enjoy about WBEZ? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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