Vail's Mayor Remembers Eagle County Coronavirus Victim
EAGLE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4/AP) - The Eagle County Health Department announced its first coronavirus death on Saturday; a man in his 60s with underlying health conditions. The mayor of Vail, who tested positive for COVID-19, remembers the victim as a loved member of the community.
"He was just a beloved local. He was a type of guy, he was a musician. He was the type of guy who would be the first guy to be at a benefit for others and play music and join with all our other local musicians," said Dave Chapin.
Family and friends identified the victim as Rod Powell, a singer and guitarist who had played for apres-ski crowds for decades.
Chapin is currently self-quarantined to avoid spreading the virus. He wants people to know while this is a serious situation, they shouldn't panic.
"This is very very serious, although I do want to emphasize that we all need to be calm. We need to be rational because most people that do acquire this are going to make a full recovery. You're going to be sick, but you're going to make a full recovery in almost all cases."
He noted he did not experience severe symptoms for several days, which is why, he says, social distancing is important.
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As of Saturday, six people have died from COVID-19 in Colorado.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)