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Chicago mayor: Virus deaths in black community 'devastating'

Chicago mayor: Virus deaths in black community 'devastating'
Posted at 4:31 PM, Apr 06, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-06 16:31:19-04

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago's mayor says the city is launching a health campaign focused on black and brown communities.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot's comments Monday follow a WBEZ report highlighting the disproportionate number of black residents among those who have died of COVID-19 complications in the city.

Lightfoot called the radio station's finding that 70% of recorded deaths due to the coronavirus in the city were black residents "devastating."

The report said black residents make up 29% of the city's population.

Lightfoot noted that black and brown communities' access to healthcare has been unequal for decades.