Families worry over safety of residents stuck inside Chicago nursing home with over 150 COVID-19 cases

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A nursing home on Chicago's Northwest Side currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases among all long-term care facilities in Illinois.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, there are 151 coronavirus cases and at least seven deaths at Woodbridge Nursing Pavilion in Logan Square.

"When I heard the report of 151 positive tests, I was very alarmed, " said Richard Edmond, who's brothers are long-term residents at the facility located in the 2200 block of North Kedzie.

Edmond told ABC 7 that both his brothers, Sam and Curtis, have now tested positive for COVID-19. He said they've been confined to their rooms during the pandemic.

Woodbridge Nursing Pavilion hasn't yet returned ABC7's requests for comment.

"The problem is that these people are not staying at home. They are staying in rooms," Redmond said.

Vicki Kennedy and Madelyn Feliciano said their parents are also residents at Woodbridge and were diagnosed with COVID-19. The sisters said they didn't know there was a large outbreak at the facility.

According to data released by the state's health department, extended care facilities in Illinois are seeing some of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Newly released numbers show there are nearly 1,100 deaths and more than 7,500 cases in nursing homes across Illinois.

The state said they started adding visitor restrictions to long-term care facilities in February, as well as checking staff and residents for symptoms.

"Initially we put in no visitors. We said all staff has to be checked. Anyone with symptoms, anyone with a fever," Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. "Even with that, of course, we still have had cases."

Health officials are monitoring the 1,100 long-term care facilities in the state, looking to identify hot spots.