Chicago’s updated travel order. (Credit: Chicago Department of Public Health)

Visitors to Chicago from 26 states and Puerto Rico no longer have to quarantine for 10 days or record a negative test for COVID-19, according to the city’s travel order, updated on Tuesday.

A month ago, visitors from only three states and Puerto Rico were exempt from the city’s travel order, which covered all of the states that border Illinois, including Wisconsin and Indiana. With the removal of Iowa from the restrictions, the only state that borders Illinois that is covered by the updated order is Kentucky, officials said.

Visitors from the other 24 states and Washington, D.C., must either quarantine for 10 days or record a negative test for COVID-19 within 72 hours of arrival, according to the order.

Visitors to Chicago who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are not covered by the travel order.

Everyone must still wear masks, follow social distancing rules and avoid large gatherings, according to the city’s rules.

Illinois is averaging 13 new cases per day based on a seven-day rolling average, according to city data.

The city’s COVID-19 test positivity rate is 2.8%, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health, the lowest rate since the start of the pandemic. Seven days ago, it was 2.9%

There is now an average of 274 confirmed cases of COVID-19 per day, based on a seven-day rolling average. That’s down 5% in a week, according to city data.

Four people, on average, die every day in Chicago after being diagnosed with COVID-19, according to city data.

Violators of the quarantine order could face fines of $100 to $500 per day for a maximum fine of $7,000, according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office. However, city officials have said they’re relying on an education campaign rather than an enforcement effort. No one has been cited for violating the order, which was first announced in July.

Travel by essential workers and students commuting to class is exempt from the order, according to the mayor’s office, as is travel to obtain medical care or exchange children subject to a shared custody order.

Contact Heather Cherone:@HeatherCherone| (773) 569-1863 |[email protected]