Illinois reports death of infant with coronavirus

CHICAGO -- Illinois announced Saturday that a Chicago infant with a COVID-19 infection has died.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said it's the first COVID-19 related death of an infant in the United States.

"A full investigation is underway to determine the cause of death. We must do everything we can to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. If not to protect ourselves, but to protect those around us," said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the IDPH.

At a news conference on Saturday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said a state employee and an infant have both died of COVID-19.

"I know how difficult this news can be ... I was shaken," he said.

During his update, Gov Pritzker reiterated that experts have told him that mortality risk among children with COVID-19 is very low.

The number of COVID-19 infections in Illinois jumped by 465 new cases and 13 additional deaths on Saturday. There are now 3,491 coronavirus cases in the state, including 47 deaths.

The federal government said they are looking at Chicago as one of the new hot spots for infections.

"We want to make sure the next New York knows what its situation is. We're looking at New Orleans; we're looking at Chicago; we're looking at Detroit, and we're want to make sure people are talking to each other so that if they are in a high-risk area, they are taking appropriate precautions, " said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams.

Worldwide infections surpassed the 650,000 mark, with more than 100,000 in the United States.