Illinois veteran one of 19 killed by COVID-19
CHICAGO - Every day we are hearing hundreds of more cases and a handful of new deaths in the state due to COVID-19.
One family lost their relative over the weekend. The worst part is they won’t be able to bury him.
62-year-old Carl Redd, an Army veteran, died from a COVID-19 infection. He had an underlying health condition: asthma.
Five months ago, Carl suffered from an asthma attack and since then was in and out of hospitals. He died at the VA hospital. His oldest daughter says they didn't even know he had COVID-19.
“They told us the day after he passed he had tested positive for coronavirus,” said Delilah Redd.
The family is unsure about how he became infected. Carl's wife, Lillian, was the last family member to see him four days before he passed. So far, no one is showing symptoms.
But now, they are on high alert.
“We have seen definite clusters of infection in families,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois Department of Public Health. “Obviously we know household contact is most at risk in terms of who is likely to catch it after the first confirmed case.”
Delilah says she's devastated losing her father and now can't even have a proper burial.
“The military honors, they won’t do it because of the coronavirus,” said Delilah. “I was really looking forward to seeing the salute because I’ve ever seen that in person before.”
She says they aren't even allowed into the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery because of coronavirus restrictions, something the state health director gets choked up about.
The family says Carl was tested for COVID-19 a couple of weeks ago, but tested negative.