By Neil Doyle
BLOOMINGTON – Public health officials on Sunday announced the first coronavirus death in McLean County.
The McLean County Health Department said the patient was a woman in her 70s who tested positive for the virus earlier this week and was in intensive care.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss. Within McLean County Government, our hearts go out to the family and friends who are mourning the loss of their loved one. We cannot even begin to understand how they feel, and we send our sincerest condolences,” McLean County Health Department Administrator Jessica McKnight said in a statement.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported two additional coronavirus deaths, bringing the state total to nine. The deaths included a Cook County man in his 80s and a Chicago man in his 80s.
The IDPH on Sunday announced 296 new cases, bringing the state total to 1,049. Livingston, Jo Daviess, Rock Island, and Stephenson counties are now also reporting cases.
Cases by county can be found here. Data shows that 8,374 people have been tested for the virus in Illinois.
Health officials are still learning about this new virus and information and guidance is rapidly evolving. At this time, it is still unknown if a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can pass the virus to her fetus or baby during pregnancy or delivery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no infants born to mothers with COVID-19 have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. In these cases, which are a small number, the virus was not found in samples of amniotic fluid or breastmilk.
Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]
