Illinois first COVID-19 death

Photo courtesy of Governor JB Pritzker Facebook page

CHICAGO, Ill. – Illinois Department of Public Health announces the state’s first death relating to coronavirus.

Officials state the individual was a Chicago woman in her 60s who had contact with known COVID-19 case.

Governor JB Pritzker expressed his condolences in the state’s daily debriefing and social media.

“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 Pritzker.

IDPH also announced an outbreak of the virus in a long-term care facility. After further testing IDPH confirms 17 residents and four faculty members have tested positive for the virus.

“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 the resident.”

Now, IDPH advises nursing homes to limit visitation, restrict all volunteers, cancel all group activities and communal dining.

They also advise implementing active screening of residents and health care personnel for fever and respiratory symptoms.