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Illinois Nursing Home Deaths Reach Horrific Numbers

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State Data Shows Illinois Nursing Home Residents Are Dying at Most Alarming Rate Yet

In the most recent data released by Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) officials, the state’s nursing-home residents are contracting COVID-19 and dying from it at their highest reported rates yet. Over the past week (December 11-18), public health regulators have recorded 605 deaths among residents of long-term care facilities, assisted-living centers, state-funded veterans’ homes, and other nursing home care sites. The previous highest mortality (and record-setting) death rate was for the first week in December when IDPH logged 480 fatalities among residents within the same groups of facilities.

The new data brings the COVID-19 death toll for Illinois nursing-home residents since the pandemic began in March to a staggering 7,559 or just over 50% of total Illinois fatalities due to the coronavirus, according to a Levin & Perconti nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer analysis of IDPH data.

Nursing Home Resident Coronavirus Infections Are Also Climbing Steady

Infections among nursing-home residents are rising swiftly, with IDPH reporting 5,063 new cases on Friday, December 18. That number again busted a previous record or 4,489 new cases, reported just the week prior. Infection surges in nearby Illinois cities and towns, non-compliance of staff and residents, ill-equipped departments forced to take infectious disease risks with patients, and relaxed COVID precautions in local communities all contribute to the number of increased nursing-home cases and fatalities.

Increase in Resident Deaths Reveal Trending Flaws in Nursing Home Care

These deaths are the tragically foreseeable consequences of years of neglect and abuse at nursing homes. Before this crisis began, the nationally renowned nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Levin & Perconti were working to protect nursing home residents and employees from harm related to poor-performing facilities that continue to fail to meet quality of life care standards by choosing to:

  • Understaff and underpay its workforce
  • Fail to provide healthcare workers the tools to perform their jobs safely such as personal protection equipment, and the training and skills required to prevent the spread of infectious diseases
  • Ignore hygiene and infectious disease guidelines

The coronavirus pandemic has only magnified these systemic breakdowns. And the mass horror of how many facilities continue to fail both residents and staff is unacceptable. Levin & Perconti’s legal team, staff, and our families remain incredibly saddened for the number of lives lost and impacted by COVID-19.

How Can a Chicago Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Help During COVID-19?

At Levin & Perconti, we have the experience and resources to investigate claims and have been standing up to violators who choose not to protect residents and staff from harm caused by the novel coronavirus. If you are considering a legal case against an Illinois nursing home related to COVID-19 or want to share your story to help others, please contact us for a free consultation at 877-374-1417 or in Chicago at 312-332-2872. All calls and discussions with our attorneys are confidential. Time is of the essence.