The COVID-19 related deaths of five residents of the Berkeley Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 6909 North Ave., were reported this week by the Oak Park Department of Public Health. The residents, four women and one man, ranged in age from 58 to 90.
The village’s report placed the deaths at Berkeley between Nov. 6 and Nov. 20 but noted that the cases had not been reported “when they occurred.” Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, Berkeley has had 46 residents test positive for COVID-19, 11 resident deaths and four staff cases.
COVID-19 continued to make its way through Oak Park last week as 175 residents tested positive since Nov. 18, according to the public health department. With the latest cases, Oak Park has had 1,521 residents test positive for COVID-19 since March 18, when the OPDPH started reporting cases.
River Forest had 24 residents test positive for COVID-19 over this past week. The village reported 20 new cases on Nov. 22, the highest single-day total it has had since the pandemic started.
According to Northwestern University’s COVID-19 database, Oak Park’s 14-day rolling average positivity rate is at 8.15 percent while River Forest is at 9.81 percent (as of Nov. 24).
Since the start of the pandemic, other long-term care facilities in Oak Park have reported both positive tests for residents and staff. Brookdale of Oak Park has had nine residents test positive for COVID-19 along with 18 staff members. They have had one resident death, according to the village’s website.
Belmont Village of Oak Park had one staffer test positive for COVID-19 this week, totaling 19 staff cases overall since March 18. Belmont also has also had six resident cases and four resident deaths. Oak Park Arms has had six resident and four staff cases while one resident has died. Oasis of Oak Park has had 23 resident cases, 11 staff cases and 12 resident deaths.
Cook County’s Director of Communications, Natalia Derevyanny, announced on Nov. 23 the county has had 6,241 COVID-19 related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
