Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The Park Forest region saw an 9.13% increase in COVID-19 cases in the past week — seven days. Prior to this tally, there was a 9.13% increase in newly confirmed cases between November 20 and November 28 — eight days.
The region also saw 50 people die of COVID-19 in the past seven days. Park Forest’s number of deceased remains at 21 where it has stood for several weeks now. We reported over a week ago that there were 22 deaths in Park Forest from the Novel Coronavirus, however, the Cook County Medical Examiner has since revised the total for Park Forest back to 22. The only other town where there was a revision downward was for Steger, where the total was revised from 6 to 5 deceased. All other towns that saw a change saw an increase, with the highest tally there belonging to Cicero, 11 deaths.
If there is a more radical surge from Thanksgiving, those numbers likely will be evident this coming week.
Illinois is projected to see 27,497 deaths by April 1, 2021, nearly a year since Cook County began tracking these virus-related deaths. The United States as a whole will lose over half-a-million people by that date if nothing changes, these figures according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent global health research center at the University of Washington. The IHME predicts 538,893 COVID-related deaths by April 1 in the United States.
Cook County has lost, on average, over 48 people per day from the virus. When we tallied numbers on November 20, the region was losing 30.5 people per day. Compare that with October 1-30 when the region lost, on average, 8.5 people a day from COVID-19.
We are paying a price for our natural desire to socialize.
A complete rendering of Cook County COVID-19-related deaths follows in the next chart.
The dangers of the spread of COVID-19 are multiple and complex, as Dr. Timothy Angelotti, MD Ph.D., recently told eNews Park Forest, “The problem is it’s not about death, it’s not about the healthy people or the people that get very little illness from this. It’s about the surge that can happen in a hospital setting when you have a whole bunch of people get infected.
“Our biggest fear, and that’s what people don’t appreciate, that if you want a hospital full of people who are full of COVID then keep doing what we’re doing. Then all other medical care will go by the wayside until we get control of this. Do you want us to cancel elective surgeries again?”
Dr. Angelotti is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine (ICU) at the Stanford University Medical Center. His Ph.D. is in pharmacology, and our entire interview with Dr. Angelotti is forthcoming.
Our complete interview with Dr. Angelotti follows. It’s worth watching if the reader, for whatever reason, believes COVID-19 to be a hoax.
COVID-19 at Ludeman Center
According to the state of Illinois, as of November 4, Ludeman Center in Park Forest has 249 residents who tested positive for COVID-19. Of these, 239 have recovered. A total of 183 staff members at Ludeman have tested positive. Of these, 156 recovered and returned to work.
Ludeman Center employs 937 people and has 336 residents according to the latest figures supplied by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Current COVID-19 Cases for 30 South Suburban Towns
| Municipality | COVID-19 Cases | Most Recent Population Figures | Rate per 100,000 Population* |
| Calumet City | 2,203 | 37,042 | 5,947.30 |
| Chicago Heights | 2,244 | 30,276 | 7,411.81 |
| Cicero | 8,928 | 83,889 | 10,642.63 |
| Country Club Hills | 951 | 16,541 | 5,749.35 |
| Crestwood | 641 | 10,950 | 5,853.88 |
| Crete | 932 | 8,117 | 11,482.07 |
| Dolton | 1,182 | 23,153 | 5,105.17 |
| East Hazel Crest | 76 | 1,543 | 4,925.47 |
| Flossmoor | 452 | 9,464 | 4,775.99 |
| Ford Heights | 95 | 2,763 | 3,438.29 |
| Frankfort | 2,065 | 19,178 | 10,767.55 |
| Glenwood | 528 | 8,969 | 5,886.94 |
| Harvey | 1,343 | 25,282 | 5,312.08 |
| Hazel Crest | 703 | 14,100 | 4,985.82 |
| Homewood | 946 | 19,323 | 4,895.72 |
| Lansing | 2,015 | 28,331 | 7,112.35 |
| Lynwood | 481 | 9,007 | 5,340.29 |
| Markham | 650 | 12,508 | 5,196.67 |
| Matteson | 1,235 | 19,009 | 6,496.92 |
| Oak Forest | 1,566 | 27,962 | 5,600.46 |
| Olympia Fields | 201 | 4,988 | 4,029.67 |
| Orland Park | 3,471 | 56,582 | 6,134.46 |
| Park Forest | 1,348 | 21,429 | 6,290.54 |
| Richton Park | 736 | 13,646 | 5,393.52 |
| Sauk Village | 435 | 10,506 | 4,140.49 |
| South Chicago Heights | 216 | 4,139 | 5,218.65 |
| South Holland | 1,415 | 22,030 | 6,423.06 |
| Steger | 215 | 9,331 | 2,304.15 |
| Tinley Park | 2,678 | 49,235 | 5,439.22 |
| University Park | 360 | 6,958 | 5,173.90 |
| Combined | 40,311 | 606,251 | 6649.23 |
*Numbers per 100,000 based on most recent population from US Census.gov or derived via formula using rate per 100,000 population and COVID-19 cases as reported by Cook County. |
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Where do we stand today with COVID-19?
Park Forest now has 1,348 cases and a rate of 6290.54 per 100,000.
Chicago Heights has 2,244 cases and a current rate per 100k of 7411.81. Cicero leads still with 8,928 and the highest rate of the 30 by far at 10,642.63. This makes Cicero the first of our 30 towns to pass the 10,000 per 100k mark in cases.
Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
We have no data on how many people are suffering lingering effects of COVID nor does anyone know yet if some conditions those have since recovering will become chronic.
The CDC reports, however, that it “is actively working to learn more about the whole range of short- and long-term health effects associated with COVID-19. As the pandemic unfolds, we are learning that many organs besides the lungs are affected by COVID-19 and there are many ways the infection can affect someone’s health.”
“One of the health effects that CDC is closely watching and working to understand relates to COVID-19 and the heart,” the CDC says. “Heart conditions associated with COVID-19 include inflammation and damage to the heart muscle itself, known as myocarditis, or inflammation of the covering of the heart, known as pericarditis. These conditions can occur by themselves or in combination. Heart damage may be an important part of severe disease and death from COVID-19, especially in older people with underlying illness. Heart damage like this might also explain some frequently reported long-term symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, and heart palpitations.”
The CDC stresses that the “risk of heart damage may not be limited to older and middle-aged adults. For example, young adults with COVID-19, including athletes, can also suffer from myocarditis. Severe heart damage has occurred in young, healthy people, but is rare. There may be more cases of mild effects of COVID-19 on the heart that can be diagnosed with special imaging tests, including in younger people with mild or minimal symptoms; however, the long-term significance of these mild effects on the heart are unknown. CDC will continue to assess and provide updates as new data emerge.”
Current Numbers for Neighboring Towns
As of this writing, Steger has 512 cases, Flossmoor 452, and Richton Park 736. Olympia Fields is at 201, Sauk Village is at 435, Glenwood 528, Tinley Park 2,678, and South Chicago Heights has 216.
Harvey has 1,343 cases, Country Club Hills has 951 cases, Orland Park 3,471, Lynwood 481, Lansing 2,015, Homewood 946, South Holland 1,415, Markham 650, and Crete 932.
Ford Heights now has 95 cases, and Calumet City has 2,203.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 779,975 cases, including 13,179 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 102,678 specimens for a total 11,021,676.
As of last night, 5,331 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,134 patients were in the ICU and 694 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from November 28 – December 4, 2020, is 10.3%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from November 28 – December 4, 2020, is 11.9%.
As of December 4, 2020, there are a total of 139,697 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cook County and 2,670 deaths.
The test positivity rate in Cook County is at 13.3%.
The data from Cook County includes all cases under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Department of Public Health (excludes Chicago, Evanston, Oak Park, Skokie, and Stickney Township). All numbers are provisional and subject to change.
As of this writing, Will County now reports 42,380 cases of the virus. There are now 578 deaths from COVID-19 in Will County.
Deceased from COVID-19
The Cook County Medical Examiner now reports 6,886 total COVID-19 related deaths since March 16, 2020. This figure is from today’s date, December 5, 2020.
COVID-19 Deaths for 30 Towns
| Municipality | Total Deceased | Most Recent Population Figures | Rate per 100,000 Population*
|
| Calumet City | 13 | 37,042 | 35.10 |
| Chicago Heights | 49 | 30,276 | 161.84 |
| Cicero | 140 | 83,889 | 166.89 |
| Country Club Hills | 42 | 16,541 | 253.91 |
| Crestwood | 30 | 10,950 | 273.97 |
| Crete | 9 | 8,117 | 110.88 |
| Dolton | 25 | 23,153 | 107.98 |
| East Hazel Crest | 3 | 1,543 | 194.43 |
| Flossmoor | 11 | 9,464 | 116.23 |
| Ford Heights | 1 | 2,763 | 36.19 |
| Frankfort | 6 | 19,178 | 31.29 |
| Glenwood | 8 | 8,969 | 89.20 |
| Harvey | 36 | 25,282 | 142.39 |
| Hazel Crest | 28 | 14,100 | 198.58 |
| Homewood | 39 | 19,323 | 201.83 |
| Lansing | 12 | 28,331 | 42.36 |
| Lynwood | 3 | 9,007 | 33.31 |
| Markham | 20 | 12,508 | 159.90 |
| Matteson | 33 | 19,009 | 173.60 |
| Oak Forest | 22 | 27,962 | 78.68 |
| Olympia Fields | 4 | 4,988 | 80.19 |
| Orland Park | 52 | 56,582 | 91.90 |
| Park Forest | 21 | 21,429 | 98.00 |
| Richton Park | 17 | 13,646 | 124.58 |
| Sauk Village | 4 | 10,506 | 38.07 |
| South Chicago Heights | 0 | 4,139 | 0.00 |
| South Holland | 40 | 22,030 | 181.57 |
| Steger | 5 | 9,331 | 53.58 |
| Tinley Park | 33 | 49,235 | 67.03 |
| University Park | 8 | 6,958 | 114.98 |
| Combined | 714 | 606,251 | 117.77 |
*Numbers per 100,000 based on most recent population from US Census.gov or derived via formulat using rate per 100,000 population and COVID-19 cases as reported by Cook County. |
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State of Illinois: Most Recent Update
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 9,887 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 208 additional deaths.
- Bond County: 1 male 80s
- Champaign County: 2 females 80s, 2 males 80s, 1 female 90s
- Clark County: 1 female 90s
- Clinton County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
- Coles County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s
- Cook County: 2 females 50s, 3 males 50s, 6 females 60s, 7 males 60s, 8 females 70s, 12 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 14 males 80, 6 females 90, 2 males 90s, 1 female over 100
- Cumberland County: 1 male 80s
- DeKalb County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 80s
- DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 3 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 3 males 90s
- Effingham County: 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Fayette County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
- Franklin County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
- Greene County: 1 male 60s
- Grundy County: 1 male 80s
- Henry County: 1 female 90s
- Kane County: 2 males 60s, 3 males 70s, 1 female 80s
- Kankakee County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Knox County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Lake County: 1 female 50s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- LaSalle County: 1 male 50s, 2 males 80s
- Lee County: 1 male 80s
- Livingston County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
- Logan County: 1 male 70s
- Macon County: 1 male 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s
- Macoupin County: 2 males 80s
- Madison County: 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s, 1 female over 100
- McHenry County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- McLean County: 1 female 80s
- Mercer County: 1 male 70s
- Ogle County: 1 female 80s
- Peoria County: 1 female 80s
- Pike County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s
- Rock Island County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 3 males 70s, 2 males 90s
- Sangamon County: 1 female 50s, 3 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
- Schuyler County: 1 female 70s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 70s, 2 females 90s, 1 female over 100
- Stark County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Stephenson County: 1 male 70s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 80s
- Union County: 1 female 90s
- Vermilion County: 2 females 80s
- White County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Whiteside County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Will County: 2 females 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 3 males 80, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Williamson County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 50s, 3 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 779,975 cases, including 13,179 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 102,678 specimens for a total 11,021,676. As of last night, 5,331 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,134 patients were in the ICU and 694 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from November 28 – December 4, 2020 is 10.3%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from November 28 – December 4, 2020 is 11.9%.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email [email protected].
eNews Park Forest will continue to track SARS-CoV-2 in our area.
