Cook County Deputy Dies of Coronavirus Complications

A Cook County sheriff's deputy has died from complications due to COVID-19, the sheriff's office said in a statement Sunday.

Deputy Richard O’Brien was a 25-year veteran of the sheriff's office and had been working on assignment in the Civil Process Division in Skokie despite being diagnosed with leukemia in January.

“Our hearts are broken over the loss of Deputy O’Brien, and we send our deepest condolences to his wife, Cindi, their three children, and all of his loved ones,” the sheriff's office statement reads. “Deputy O’Brien was devoted to his family and loved spending quality time with them. He lived his life with a positive attitude, even during the most challenging times.”

Last month, a Cook County Jail correctional officer died of the coronavirus.

Sheila Rivera, 47, is believed to be the first correctional officer at the jail to die of the virus, according to a previous statement from the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

Rivera had worked as a corrections officer since 2012, and was most recently assigned to the Residential Treatment Unit, the sheriff’s office said.

On Sunday afternoon, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a total of 2,994 new cases of the virus, bringing the state's total number of COVID-19 cases to 61,499.