By Neil Doyle
CHICAGO – State health officials are reporting the first coronavirus death in Illinois.
The Illinois Department of Public Health says the patient was a Chicago woman in her 60s who tested positive earlier this month and had contact with a known COVID-19 case.
“I am deeply saddened by the news that we’ve dreaded since the earliest days of this outbreak: the first COVID-19 related death in Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker Tuesday during a news conference. “All of Illinois stands with this patient’s family and loved ones in mourning her loss and honoring her memory. May her memory be a blessing.”
The IDPH is now reporting 160 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Illinois, 55 new cases since Monday.
State health officials say 18 residents and four staff members have tested positive for coronavirus at the DuPage County long-term care facility where a woman tested positive earlier this month.
“Residents in nursing homes are our most vulnerable population and we are doing everything we can to protect them,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “We may see cases in other long-term care facilities, which is why it is so important that we all do our part to reduce possible exposure in the community to those who go in and out of these facilities as they provide care to resident.”
Currently, there are no confirmed coronavirus cases in McLean County.
Neil Doyle can be reached at neil.doyle@cumulus.com
