Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday that a city employee has died from COVID-19.
"This sobering moment should remind us that the numbers that we report every day are not mere statistics" Lightfoot said. "They are people whose lives have been forever changed."
Lightfoot declined to offer any information about the employee, but the death marks the latest fatality in what has been the epicenter of Illinois' coronavirus outbreak. Lightfoot said she did not know the employee personally and did not have contact with him but the city was working to notify all of the man's colleagues.
In Chicago alone, 22 deaths had been reported as of Tuesday among nearly 3,000 confirmed cases.
Across the state, there were nearly 100 deaths at that same time, along with just under 6,000 confirmed cases. Those numbers were expected to rise Wednesday as officials warn the disease's spread is far from over.
Lightfoot on Tuesday announced additional resources, including hotel rooms, for first responders. She also joined Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker as he extended the state's stay-at-home order until the end of April.
"The true public spirit of our city employees who embody the definition of public service have literally been keeping our city running during this crisis at great public risk to themselves. For that, we thank you," Lightfoot said.
