COVID-19, Local, Park Forest, Science

COVID-19 Cases at Ludeman Center Rise as Some Tested Twice, Residents and Staff


Coronavirus CDC, COVID-19 cases at Ludeman Center
Coronavirus. (CDC)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- According to the state of Illinois, Ludeman Center in Park Forest now has 202 residents who tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 113 staff members at Ludeman have tested positive, up from 72 when we tallied last. However, of these, 58 have recovered and returned to work, according to Parents & Friends of Ludeman Center.

The state of Illinois now reports 343 residents at Ludeman Center. All have been tested, some twice, according to the group Parents & Friends.

Ludeman Center now has 905 staff members according to the state of Illinois. That figure is up from our last tally of statistics. Staff continue to undergo wellness checks before reporting to their respective assignments, the group Parents & Friends reports.

Ludeman Center makes almost half of the 417 cases of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Village of Park Forest.

Thirteen people from Park Forest have died of COVID-19 related issues according to the Cook County Medical Examiner‘s office. That is two more since our last tally.

Cicero still has the largest number of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) cases in all of suburban Cook County, adding 368 newly confirmed cases since we last surveyed. The town of almost 34,000 people has 2088 cases and a rate of 2489 per 100,000, surpassing Park Forest’s current rate of 1945.96.

A total of 1895 people in Park Forest have been tested with an overall positive test percentage of 22.01%.

eNews Park Forest continues to track the number of cases and the rate per 100,000* cases for 30 municipalities in the South Suburbs.

The Will County Health Department reports 36 cases of COVID-19 in the Will County section of Park Forest as of May 17, 2020, which is two more since our last tally.

As of this writing, Chicago Heights now has 398 confirmed cases and a rate of 1347.57 per 100k. Steger has 58 cases, Flossmoor 71, Richton Park 173, Olympia Fields still has 46, Sauk Village 91, Glenwood 109, Tinley Park 238, and South Chicago Heights has 64.

Harvey has 323 cases, Country Club Hills has 266 cases, Orland Park 327, Lynwood 103, Lansing 279, Homewood 227, South Holland 315, Calumet City 442, Markham 166, and Crete 119. Ford Heights now has 24 cases.

Currently, IDPH  is reporting a total of 94,191 cases, including 4,177 deaths, in 100 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 20,295 specimens for a total of 581,944.

The statewide 7-day rolling positivity rate is 15%.

As of May 17, 2020, there are a total of 23,839 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in suburban Cook County and 1,1019 deaths; 147 cases are in congregate settings, such as long term care facilities or nursing homes, are reporting one or more confirmed cases. 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.

The Cook County Medical Examiner reports 2,956 total COVID-19 related deaths since March 16, 2020, as of May 17, 2020.

As of this writing, Will County now reports 4,388 confirmed cases and 240 deaths.

We must note: Other countries have fewer cases of COVID-19, far lower rates per 100k. The higher numbers are not an inevitability of testing. Testing alone is not the determining factor in higher numbers.

We leave further interpretation of the data up to our astute readers.

Park Forest Officer Continues to Recover at Home

Police Chief Christopher Mannino tells eNews Park Forest the officer who contracted COVID-19 is still the only officer who suffered the virus. The officer did not require hospitalization.

“The officer continues to recover at home and is doing well and is in good spirits,” Chief Mannino said. “That officer is our only known personnel with COVID19.”

A Park Forest Firefighter told eNews Park Forest Sunday night that, so far, everyone at the PFFD is healthy, no one has contracted COVID-19.

We continue to hope for a full recovery of the officer who contracted the virus and vigorously knock on wood that remaining personnel from Police and Fire Departments remain healthy.

Deceased from COVID-19

As noted above, Park Forest has lost 13 people from COVID-19.

The number of deceased from Chicago Heights is now 24, meaning six more people died since we tallied. Cicero lost 44, Richton Park 9, Matteson 19, and Country Club Hills 27. The number of deaths in Steger (Cook County) is unchanged since April 28 at 3. Crestwood has lost 5.

The City of Chicago has lost 1,685 people to COVID-19.

Current COVID-19 Cases for 30 South Suburban Towns

Municipality COVID-19 Cases Most Recent Population Figures Rate per 100,000 Population*
Calumet City 442 37042 1193.24
Chicago Heights 398 30276 1314.57
Cicero 2088 83889 2489.00
Country Club Hills 266 16541 1608.13
Crestwood 77 10950 703.20
Crete 119 8117 1466.06
Dolton 278 23153 1200.71
East Hazel Crest 10 1543 648.09
Flossmoor 71 9464 750.21
Ford Heights 24 2763 868.62
Frankfort 112 19178 584.00
Glenwood 109 8969 1215.30
Harvey 323 25282 1277.59
Hazel Crest 175 14100 1241.13
Homewood 227 19323 1174.77
Lansing 279 28331 984.79
Lynwood 103 9007 1143.56
Markham 166 12508 1327.15
Matteson 291 19009 1530.85
Oak Forest 153 27962 547.17
Olympia Fields 46 4988 922.21
Orland Park 327 56582 577.92
Park Forest 417 21429 1945.96
Richton Park 173 13646 1267.77
Sauk Village 91 10506 866.17
South Chicago Heights 64 4139 1546.27
South Holland 315 22030 1429.87
Steger 58 9331 621.58
Tinley Park 238 49235 483.40
University Park 84 6958 1207.24
Combined 7524 606251 1241.07
*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.

The following chart will auto-update as we update our Google spreadsheet:

This chart might not appear on all mobile devices. It does not appear, for example, in the browser built into the Apple Facebook app.

Projections: Peak Period of Deaths Not Yet Reached in Illinois

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) says the number of COVID-19 cases peaked in Illinois on April 17, but testing continues. Hence, the number of cases in the South Suburbs continues to rise.

However, Gov. J.B. Pritzker reported today that the peak period of COVID-19 deaths in Illinois “could stretch into early June – or possibly even July.”

And that could mean 50 to 150 Illinoisans losing their lives to the coronavirus a day – or possibly as many as 300 each day.

Those were some of the grim estimates Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered from his own home on Monday, a mix of troubling projections coupled with a few optimistic signs of progress for parts of the state outside the Chicago area.

Pritzker offers ‘disheartening’ news: COVID-19 deaths could range from 50 to 300 a day, possibly into July (Chicago Sun-Times)

Mask Requirement in Illinois Continues

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order will continue in Illinois through the month of May. Additionally, he is requiring a “face-covering or mask” for all over the age of two under certain circumstances.

The Governor said:

Starting on May 1, any individual over the age of two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering or mask will be required to wear one when in a public place where they can’t maintain a six-foot social distance. Face coverings work and we need all Illinoisans to do their part here.

For our essential businesses, including manufacturers, we are issuing new requirements on social distancing and new caps on occupancy.

Again all of these things won’t take effect until May 1 – a week from tomorrow. And they are only minor modifications – what we can do safely – while keeping our stay at home restrictions in place as we manage through to the next phase.

This order was further modified to allow religious gatherings of up to 10 people.

Overall for the State of Illinois

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on May 17 announced 1,734 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 51 additional deaths.

  • Cook County: 2 males 30s, 1 male 40s, 3 females 60s, 2 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 4 males 70s, 1 unknown 70s, 7 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 female 100+
  • DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 female 90s
  • Kane County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
  • Kendall County: 1 male 80s
  • Lake County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 2 females 90s
  • Madison County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 female 90s
  • McLean County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s
  • Stephenson County: 1 male 70s
  • Winnebago County: 1 male 70s

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 94,191 cases, including 4,177 deaths, in 100 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 20,295 specimens for a total of 581,944.  The statewide 7-day rolling positivity rate is 15%.

*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 and counties previously reported have 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].

About the Elisabeth Ludeman Center

As of May 11, the Illinois Department of Human Services reports a current census of 344 residents at Ludeman Center. Of these:

  • The average age is 53.2 years (22 – 77);
  • 74% of the residents are severe and profound mentally, intellectually, and physically disabled.
  • 48% are non-verbal, using sign language or gestures to communicate;
  • 62% have a behavior intervention program, often requiring higher
    levels of staff supervision;
  • 62% receive psychotropic medications.

According to the IDHS:

The Elisabeth Ludeman Center occupies 60 acres in Park Forest at the southwest corner of Orchard Drive and North Street.

The Center is divided into three (3) residential units comprised of 13-14 homes. Each unit has a centrally located Neighborhood House which has offices for the Unit Director, Social Worker, Unit Physician, Nursing Personnel, Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals, (QIDP’s), Residential Services Supervisors and clerical personnel. The Ludeman Center also serves as an admission center for individuals having significant adaptive issues in the community-based setting. The Interdisciplinary teams’ main priority is to stabilize and ensure a successful transition back into the community.

Each of the 40 ranch-style homes has a kitchen, dining/living room area, utility room which contains a washer and dryer, two full and one half bathrooms, and five bedrooms.

Approximately half of the people who currently reside at the Ludeman Center attend vocational training programs at community training sites or workshops. The remainder of the people are served in on-campus day training programs. Currently, several individuals are working in a food service program, housekeeping program, horticulture program (vegetable garden and greenhouse flowers) and in the Center-wide recycling program.

Finally, the Ludeman Center has opened its doors and shared space/services with the Illinois Department Of Transportation’s District 1 South DBE Resource Center; as well as the Office of the Inspector General, Bureau of Civil Affairs, Bureau of Quality Management, and SODC Operations.

*Why Rate Per 100,000?

We found a clear explanation for viewing the rate of infections per 100,000 comes from Indiana University at Bloomington: “There may or may not be 100,000 residents in the county under review, but multiplying the result by 100,000 makes that rate comparable with counties with more than 100,000 or less than 100,000.”

“It is customary to use rates per 100,000 population for deaths and rates per 1,000 population for live births,” our source at Indiana University says.

So, none of the cities, towns, and villages we survey have 100,000 residents, but by using the rate per 100,000, we are able to compare apples to apples, so to speak, as if every town did have 100,000 residents.

eNews Park Forest will continue to track the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has on our region.


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