Gov. JB Pritzker is questioning the CDC's preparedness after a hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship led to the quarantine of American passengers.

The latest: At least 11 hantavirus cases tied to the cruise ship had been confirmed as of Tuesday, though officials say additional cases are possible as testing continues.

• 18 Americans are being quarantined in Nebraska and Georgia.
• The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Tuesday afternoon that it is investigating a possible hantavirus case in Winnebago County. Officials said the case is not related to the cruise ship outbreak.

Why it matters: While experts say hantavirus is unlikely to become another COVID-like pandemic threat, the response is reviving debates about federal coordination, transparency and pandemic readiness.

What they're saying: "The State of Illinois maintains serious concerns about the federal government's capacity to support international and domestic public health preparedness," Pritzker's office said in a statement Monday.

Friction point: Pritzker's office went on to lob rhetorical questions at the Trump administration, including why the federal government hadn't provided states with full passenger manifests from the cruise and whether Illinois residents had been exposed to hantavirus.

• Pritzker also asked about how staff cuts at the CDC have affected global disease response operations and quarantine operations.

Reality check: The CDC and most infectious disease experts have assured people that the hantavirus outbreak is not cause for alarm and is very different from the early days of COVID-19, which led to a pandemic.

• "The hantavirus outbreak will likely be quite limited, as many experts are predicting," Northwestern University's Robert Murphy tells Axios.

Yes, but: "The problem is that the response so far has been slow and uncoordinated," Murphy adds. "We have apparently learned nothing from the COVID-19 pandemic: Could the virus mutate to something more infectious? Yes."

• "One thing is for sure: We are not prepared."

Go deeper

As book bans reached one of their highest levels ever in 2025, Illinois remains one of the few states with legal protections against removing books from schools and libraries.

The latest: A PEN America report released last week documents bans on more than 1,100 unique titles during the 2024-25 school year — including educational or informational books for young people, such as textbooks, history books, biographies and autobiographies.

By the numbers: 44% of the 3,743 titles banned last school year featured characters or people of color, the largest percentage that PEN America had ever reported.

• 39% of the banned titles featured LGBTQ+ characters or people, up from 25% the previous year.

Zoom in: Mental health experts warn that restricting access to books reflecting students' identities or experiences can increase feelings of isolation among young readers.

Reality check: In 2023, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law stating that Illinois libraries would be eligible for state-funded grants only if they adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights.

• The Bill of Rights states that reading materials should not be proscribed, removed or restricted because of partisan or personal disapproval.

Keep reading

⚽️ The Fire FC and McDonald's have announced a partnership that will name the planned South Loop stadium "McDonald's Park." It'll be the first professional sports stadium named after the fast-food giant. (Axios)

💵 A City Council committee voted to freeze tipped wage increases for two years while the city studies more data on how the policy affects workers and businesses. The full council is expected to vote on it next week. (WTTW)

👩‍🏫 CPS plans to cut teacher positions and raise class sizes to address a $732 million budget deficit next year. (WBEZ)

⛲️ The Obama Foundation announced that it is naming the Garden Pavilion at the new Obama Presidential Center in Woodlawn after former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (MSNow)

🥞 Ann Sather is moving to Division Street in Wicker Park. The legendary Belmont Avenue restaurant is being displaced by a new development project. (Block Club)

A tour kicking off this month shows off the iconic roadway's origin story in Chicago.

The big picture: As part of Route 66's centennial, Illinois and Chicago are hosting events throughout the summer, and Choose Chicago has teamed up with Tours with Mike for a trolley tour that explores Chicago neighborhoods along the route.

Flashback: The 2,400-mile roadway was built as a transcontinental route from Chicago to California, and it traverses eight states.

What to expect: The 2.5-hour tour takes off from the Art Institute of Chicago, traveling west on Adams Street, southwest on Ogden Avenue and east on Jackson Boulevard.

• Veteran guide Mike McMains points out historic spots while sharing stories about the changing neighborhoods along the route, including the West Loop, North Lawndale, Little Village and Douglass Park.

Fun facts: McMains is full of Route 66 trivia and tidbits about the famous route and Chicago attractions, such as:

• Lou Mitchell's was the first restaurant in the city to serve breakfast all day, so weary travelers could stop for some coffee and grub at either the start or end of their journey.

What's next: Tickets are now on sale for the Route 66 Neighborhoods trolley tour, with the first one taking place on May 22.

💭 Carrie's thought bubble: I love that this tour takes you through neighborhoods most tourists — and sadly some locals — never get to see. Even longtime Chicagoans like me learned something new!

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👋 Hey, it's Monica!

While I love daffodil days and tulip time in Chicago, nothing beats lilac season.

Driving the news: This week, we're approaching peak lilac-sniffing days and the cooler temperatures have preserved the blossoms even longer than usual.

My quirk: If I spot a bunch of lilacs around this time, I'll stop my bike or pull over my car just to stand in front of the bushes, close my eyes and breathe in the perfume.

The ask: Tell me about the best local spots to smell lilacs by replying to this email with a location or photo.

• And don't forget to take a moment to enjoy them yourself.