2 ER Doctors At Oak Park Hospital Test Positive For Coronavirus

OAK PARK, IL — Two emergency room doctors at RUSH Oak Park Hospital have tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to media reports. The news comes a day after Oak Park Public Health Director Mike Charley issued a public order that requires residents to shelter in place starting on Friday, according to a news release from the village of Oak Park.

The doctors "likely" acquired COVID-19 in the community and are quarantined at home, according to ABC 7. One of the doctors has not seen patients for several days but the other doctor may have had patient contact and contact with other doctors and hospital employees.

On Wednesday, Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb declared a local state of emergency due to the spread of COVID-19 virus and urged residents to stay in their home. The mandated shelter in place will start Friday and continue through April 3

In addition, River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci and Forest Park Mayor Rory E. Haskins joined Abu-Taleb in encouraging a voluntary shelter in place to stop the spread of COVID-19, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“We are, in a sense, one community,” Abu-Taleb told the newspaper. “We are interconnected in so many ways. We are urging people to shelter in place. This is a serious matter, and the three of us here, we value human life more than anything else. Please stay at home and shelter in place.”

Under Oak Park's shelter in place, businesses that provide essential services will be able to remain open including grocery stores, banks, convenience stores, pharmacies, restaurants for delivery and pick up only, laundromats, skilled trades essential to maintaining the safety and sanitation of residences, hardware stores, medical service providers, first responders, transportation providers, government activities and essential social service providers and shelters, according to the news release.

In River Forest, the shelter in place is not a mandate. But village officials are urging residents to stay at home and practice social distancing, according to a news release. Village president Catherine Adduci explained in a message to residents, which was posted on the village's website, that Oak Park is "its own certified public health department" and has authorities to issue shelter in place orders.

"The Village of River Forest is under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), also a certified health department. The Village of River Forest relies on the direction from the CCDPH and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for these matters," Adduci wrote. "Should either the CCDPH or the IDPH issue such an order, we will notify you accordingly."

Meanwhile, Forest Park officials said they are continuing to monitor the situation and are making plans to deal with a "surge in medical calls." In a letter posted to the village's website Wednesday, Mayor Rory Hoskins touted the experience of its police and fire department leaders, some of whom are National Guard reservists and others that are military veterans.

"As we hear news that our federal government intends to mobilize military resources, I have been encouraged by our first responders' descriptions of working in rapidly constructed military hospitals," he wrote in the letter. "I think we can rest assured knowing that key members of our staff have experience working with our National Guard in disaster settings."

Check back to Patch for more details.