The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at a Cicero nursing home continued to climb Tuesday, with officials now reporting eight residents and one worker have died from coronavirus-related conditions.
As of Tuesday, Cicero officials announced that at least 163 residents at City View Multi-Care Center, 5825 W. Cermak Road, had tested positive for COVID-19 following mandated testing at the facility by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In total, there are 320 residents living at City View, meaning the disease has spread to more than half of the population, said Ray Hanania, a spokesman for the town.
In addition, 41 workers have tested positive, though that number could rise as more test results come back. The facility was still waiting to get results back for 39 other workers. The facility has 250 workers, Hanania said.
Of those who have tested positive, eight residents have died from coronavirus-related conditions, Hanania said. In addition, one employee from the facility who contracted the disease died.
The number of cases and fatalities at the facility is the latest example of how long-term care facilities across the state are struggling with COVID-19 outbreaks. As of Friday , at least 4,298 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been tied to the facilities, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Cases have been reported in at least 278 long-term care facilities spread across 24 counties in Illinois.
While the state has started distributing weekly reports about cases tied to facilities like the one in Cicero, the data has sometimes varied. For example, data from the state indicated only five residents had died at City View as of Friday. The Cook County medical examiner’s office is reporting a sixth death of a person who lived there. Those who have died have ranged in age from 59 to 80; the first confirmed death was April 4 and the latest confirmed death was April 19, according to the medical examiner and Tribune analysis of the office’s data.
Officials have also cited the nursing home facility with 10 violations, most having to do with workers not wearing proper personal protective equipment, ranging from masks to gowns, Hanania said.
“The goal isn’t to shut it down unless it really becomes a serious problem,” Hanania said Tuesday morning. “Our main concern is their safety. We want to make sure that they are given the proper care.”
City View officials did not respond to request for comment Tuesday.
City View told town officials that it was using three floors to quarantine residents who have tested positive, according to a news release. Hanania said the town had not filed any additional citations as of Tuesday.
“We continue to monitor them,” he said.
COVID-19 has also exacerbated conditions for workers at these type of long-care facilities. Workers at 40 nursing homes in the Chicago area, not including City View in Cicero, plan to walk off the job May 8 amid contract negotiations.
Chicago Tribune’s Cecilia Reyes contributed.
emalagon@chicagotribune.com
