A resident who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 from the Three Crowns Park community died Sunday evening, officials from the community confirmed. This marks the first Evanston resident’s death from the virus.

The identity, age and gender of the person were not immediately released. The resident had been in the hospital since March 15. Three Crowns Park has not reported any new cases of the virus since the resident died.

“It is an event of profound sadness any time a member of our community passes,” a statement from Three Crowns Park said. “Even more so under circumstances like these. We offer our condolences to the resident’s family and friends.”

A member of the Unitarian Church of Evanston also died Saturday as the result of the virus. The member was not an Evanston resident.

NorthShore University HealthSystem has been testing approximately 500 people a day for the virus, and an update from Mayor Steve Hagerty’s Emergency Management Task Force said most of the positive tests are from people aged 20-29. The task force maintained, however, that most of the serious cases have occurred in people older than 29.

As of Thursday afternoon, statewide confirmed cases hovered just above 2,500 and 26 Illinois residents have died from the virus, according to the State of Illinois’ website. The site also said a majority of fatalities have been elderly patients 60 years of age or over.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic in the US and of course here in Illinois will get worse before it gets better, we understand that,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

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