March 19, 2020 – A 71-year-old woman being treated for COVID-19, the disease caused by a member of the coronavirus family, has died at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois on March 19.
The patient was a Florida resident who had been visiting the Springfield area when she became ill. This patient had been the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Sangamon County and becomes the first death in the area.
“Now more than ever, we call on our community to take care of themselves and each other, to be vigilant and willing to make sacrifices to help curb the spread of this virus,” said Raj Govindaiah, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Memorial Health System. “That means refraining from going out in public if you are sick, practicing social distancing and frequently washing your hands with soap and water. It is vital that we protect those who are most vulnerable to this virus, including older adults and people with compromised immune systems”. “The health of our residents and the community is our highest priority,” Govindaiah said. “We will continue working together to care for our patients, protect the safety of health care workers and protect the people in our communities.
