Lightfoot: Chicago Is Beginning To Flatten The COVID-19 Curve

CHICAGO (CBS) -- For the first time since the COVID-19 stay-at-home order was put in place in March, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city is starting to flatten the coronavirus curve.

"I am happy to announce that Chicago is beginning top flatten the curve on COVID-19 cases. This is due to extensive cooperation from our residents and businesses as well as the incredible work of our city agencies and partners," Lightfoot said.

The mayor said the announcement was made after new data was released showing that the numbers were not an upward trend. But she cautioned people not to let their guard down or break with social distancing measures.

"As encouraging as these numbers are, the light at the end of the tunnel is only a pinprick and we will need continued diligence and social compliance before we can bend the curve and outrun this crisis. That's why it is imperative we continue to be safe and act responsibly, as it is truly a matter of life and death," Lightfoot said.

The mayor tempered the positive findings with the news of two more city worker COVID-19 deaths including Chicago Water Department plumber William Martin, and Edward Singleton, the second Chicago firefighter to die of the virus.

"Both men were dedicated public servants who loved their city, and both deaths are another painful and tragic reminder of the seriousness and the danger of this terrible disease. Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of these two men, who themselves are struggling in this terrible moment," she said.

The mayor and the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, Dr. Allison Arwady, said a number of factors contributed to the curve results, including the stay-at-home order.

"I want to be clear: this also tells us that we need to be abiding by these restrictions more now than ever, because we haven't yet gotten to the other side of the curve, where the number of daily cases begins to fall day after day. We need to get to the other side of the curve to be able to move forward as a city," Arwady said.

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