Franciscan Health announces new visitor restrictions as COVID-19 numbers spike in the area. The experts who predicted the fall COVID-19 surge would be worse than spring apparently were right when it comes to case counts. Records have been set and broken a number of times in recent weeks. Plus, the emotional impact of the continuing pandemic was on display Friday as Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, teared up while giving her presentation at a press briefing.