CHICAGO, Ill. (WAND) - A Chicago police officer has died after being diagnosed with COVID-19, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a media conference.Â
This is the first death in the department, Chicago Police officials said earlier this week 60 officers tested positive, with four officers needing hospitalization.Â
Lightfoot said 52-year old Macro Di Franco contracted the virus last week and was in the hospital over the weekend. Di Franco is a 21 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department and worked in the narcotics division.Â
Di Franco is survived by a wife and two children, ages 7 and 10. Officials said his brother is also a member of the police department.Â
Officials say the department has seen a rise in sick calls over the last week, reporting nearly 7% of its workforce had called out late last week and over the weekend. On Monday, 800 officers were out sick, but it remained unclear how many of those officers were experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
