The Winnebago County Health Department reported 79 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday.
This brings the total number of cases in Winnebago County to 18,804. Public Health Administrator Sandra Martell also said there were seven new deaths.
“We must remember that as we go through all of this and we look optimistically to the vaccine, that it’s through this pandemic we have lost a significant number of our residents,” she said.
264 Winnebago County residents in total have lost their lives to the disease. Both Martell and Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara urge residents to continue proper social distancing precautions and to be patient as healthcare authorities work up plans to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.