Saturday live updates on coronavirus: Marissa to start ‘enforcing’ social distancing
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Keep up with all the coronavirus news in southwestern Illinois
Stay updated with the events in southwestern Illinois that have been canceled or postponed because of coronavirus concerns.
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New COVID-19 cases in metro-east
Eleven new coronavirus cases were announced Saturday in the metro-east. Overall, the region now has 45 positive cases.
Here are the latest statistics for coronavirus cases in the region as of Saturday afternoon:
▪ St. Clair County - 24, one death
▪ Madison County - 10
▪ Clinton County - 5
▪ Monroe County - 4
▪ Randolph County - 1
▪ Washington County - 1
State, nation, world case totals climb
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health and Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering, these are the latest coronavirus case totals as of 6 p.m. Saturday:
▪ Illinois: - 3,491, 47 deaths
▪ U.S. - 105,573, 2,010 deaths
▪ World - 659,367, 30,475 deaths
Village of Marissa will ‘enforce’ social distancing
Marissa Mayor Chad Easton said Saturday the village would start “enforcing” social distancing to protect the community from spreading the COVID-19 coronavirus respiratory disease.
“... Any outdoor activities at the parks or anywhere else in town where people are congregating will be ordered to disperse. This includes playing basketball and the use of the playground equipment at the Village Parks,” Easton stated in a post to the village’s social media.
“Please understand that we are trying to protect the citizens from this pandemic.”
Distilleries switch from liquor to hand sanitizer
Stumpy’s Spirits in Columbia and Old Herald Brewery & Distillery in Collinsville normally make vodka, gin, whiskey and other liquor, but they’ve switched to hand sanitizer to help with the shortage caused by coronavirus.
Stumpy’s is selling 750-milliliter bottles, five-gallon buckets and 55-gallon drums, but online ordering has been halted temporarily so the distillery can catch up and fill orders it already has received.
Old Herald is giving away a small bottle (about six ounces) of hand sanitizer to customers who order carryout food or drink and donating bulk supplies to assisted-living centers and emergency responders.
Distilleries across the country are producing hand sanitizer because the transition is fairly easy, and the federal government has given them the OK to do it if they follow U.S. and World Health Organization guidelines.
Randolph County announces first coronavirus case
A Missouri resident who works in Chester tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release Friday from the Randolph County Health Department.
The employee of the Gilster Mary-Lee Corporation, a Chester-based food processing company, lives in Perry County, Missouri. Any other workers who came into close contact “have been asked to remain at home in isolation for a period of 14 days and monitor their symptoms,” the release stated.
The Perry County Health Department will monitor the employee. Meanwhile, the company will interview other employees and take their temperatures. Anyone showing symptoms will be asked to stay at home.
“(Gilster Mary-Lee) Corporation is working closely with the Department of Public Health and following all the appropriate next steps to ensure employee and public health,” the release stated.
Randolph County health officials have tested 29 people for COVID-19 so far and all came back negative. It was not immediately clear where the employee was tested for the disease.
First death in southwestern Illinois
A woman in her 80s from St. Clair County died Friday from COVID-19, the first death in southwestern Illinois. The woman had underlying health conditions.
St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern expressed condolences to the woman’s loved ones.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the latest victim of this virus,” Kern said in a prepared statement. “This is a tragic loss to our community and a reminder that no one is immune to COVID-19. Everyone, regardless of age, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, can be infected if they are exposed to COVID-19. For this reason, everyone must protect themselves, their families, friends and colleagues by following the preventative measures and social distancing guidelines.”
St. Louis area coronavirus cases increase
The number of coronavirus cases in Missouri increased to 838, with 10 deaths, the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services reported Saturday.
St. Louis County now has 313 COVID-19 cases.
In the city of St. Louis, there are 93 cases.
Postponed and canceled events
The News-Democrat has compiled a list of events in Illinois and St. Louis that have been canceled due to concerns about coronavirus.
You can find the list at BND.com.
Want to help? Here’s what you need to know
The BND has compiled a list of ways you can help during the coronavirus pandemic.
Go to BND. com to learn about the opportunities to volunteer your time or donate to help communities in the metro-east without putting yourself or others at risk.
You can sew face masks, read stories for people with vision loss and deliver meals to seniors.
If you know of a recognized charitable organization looking for help that isn’t listed, please tell us about it; send an email to newsroom@bnd.com or fill out the BND’s Southwest Illinois coronavirus service and assistance guide online at BND.com.
Get the latest news on coronavirus
BND.com will keep you updated through the day with information about the spread of coronavirus through southwestern Illinois.
You can also find the most complete and up-to-date information from government sites including:
▪ State of Illinois’ coronavirus page: coronavirus.illinois.gov
▪ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html
▪ Federal government’s coronavirus page: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
How to contact the BND with tips, concerns
If you have suggestions about something for the BND to cover regarding the coronavirus pandemic or if you see a report that sounds suspicious on social media or anywhere else, please drop us a note at newsroom@bnd.com and include a link. We’ll check it out.
If you’re a health care worker, we’d like to hear from you
The BND would like to speak with nurses, doctors and other health care professionals who are on the front lines caring for patients in doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals during this difficult time. We’re interested in hearing about your challenges and rewards, frustrations and accomplishments. How is this affecting you? Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
This story was originally published March 28, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
