ROCK ISLAND COUNTY, Illinois — The Rock Island County Health Department reported Tuesday that three more county residents have died of COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 181 since the pandemic began.
"It's really coming down hard and heavy, and it's everywhere," said Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson.
From his office, Gustafson has had an intimate view of death. While the county's network of funeral homes house the bodies of people who have died most recently of COVID-19, he maintains a refrigeration unit at the coroner's office in case the numbers become overwhelming.
"God forbid, if we ever had to, we could put six in here," Gustafson said while offering a glimpse of a refrigeration unit adjacent to his office. It's a backstop, in case things take a turn for the worst.
In fact, the coroner's office takes a backseat to the county health department and local hospitals when it comes to processing COVID-related deaths.
"I’ve only signed two or three deaths certificates, and had to have contact with potential or known COVID patients," he said.
Despite that, and all of his precautions, a month ago Gustafson got a call from his doctor with the result of a recent COVID-19 test.
"Called me the next day and said I had it, I was blown away, still wasn’t feeling well, and I ended up spending the next nine days in bed," Gustafson said.
After seeing so many others die of COVID-19, Gustafson said he worried for a "fleeting moment," that this might be his time. He recovered at home, and returned to work weeks ago, but he is still feeling the effects of the virus.
"To this day I’m still suffering from the fatigue. I really am, I mean I’m exhausted at the end of the day," Gustafson said.