By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD – Two more people in Winnebago County have died from complications related to COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Details about the deaths were not divulged, however, Winnebago County Health Department Director Dr. Sandra Martell confirmed that one person was a resident of Anam Care nursing home.

Martell also announced that eight more people have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 84. Five cases were reported Wednesday. Five local people have now died.

“Our challenges are obviously growing in Winnebago County,” Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said. “A week ago today, we had 30 cases in Winnebago County, and today, we are almost at triple that number. In Illinois a week ago, we had 7,700 (cases). Today, we’re more than double that number.”

The mayor said the number of deaths only tell part of the pandemic’s story. They data drives models and shows experts where things are headed and how to prepare. Behind those figures though, there’s something else.

“They’re our friends, our neighbors, our family members–fellow citizens,” McNamara said.

Illinois announced 1,344  new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Thursday, including 66 new fatalities, 37 of which occurred in Cook County. There are now 16,422 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Illinois. Complications of the disease have killed 528 people.

Infections have especially taken their toll on the elderly, those older than 60, and people with comorbidities–underlying health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, heart and lung problems, cancer and otherwise compromised immune systems.

This story will be updated.