Wednesday live coronavirus updates: Government gives IL health centers $51 million
Here is a roundup of coronavirus news you need to know on Wednesday:
Illinois health centers to receive more than $51 million from federal government
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Illinois with $51,637,470 to 45 health centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Health center awardees in Illinois may use these funds to help their communities detect coronavirus; prevent, diagnose, and treat COVID-19; and maintain or increase health capacity and staffing levels to address this public health emergency,” the department said in a news release Wednesday.
The funds come as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27.
One of the 45 health centers that will receive funding is Southern Illinois Health Care Foundation, Inc. in East St. Louis, which has been allocated $2,311,505.
St. Clair, Madison counties announce more COVID-19 deaths
A total of nine persons have died in the coronavirus pandemic in southwestern Illinois with the announcement Wednesday that three more COVID-19 patients have died from the respiratory disease in the region.
Two of the deaths occurred in St. Clair County and one in Madison County, according to state and local health officials.
In St. Clair County, a man in his 50s died and a man in his 70s died. Both of the men had underlying health conditions, the health department said.
The Madison County patient was a woman in her 60s. Madison County does not release information about underlying conditions.
Illinois may start producing its own COVID-19 testing materials
Illinois had not achieved its goal of having 10,000 COVID-19 tests available in the state by Wednesday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
Production just surpassed the 6,000 test threshold, despite promises of more the governor made 10 days ago.
Pritzker further said the state will not meet its goal by the end of the week. Scientists and other experts have recommended Illinois issue 10,000 tests to get the clearest picture of how prominent the virus is within the state.
Illinois had acquired five high-value automated machines that are supposed to process 200 tests per hour, Pritzker said, adding that the equipment has been distributed across the state’s three testing laboratories.
Pritzker said that those these extractors were expected to increase testing output by thousands per day, but have fallen short both in quantity and in accuracy.
“More importantly, the tests are not producing valid results that meets our exacting standards,” Pritzker said. “I am as imaptient as the rest of you are in wanting to increase testing, but I will not sacrifice accuracy for speed.”
Prtizker said researchers at the state’s universities would work to begin increasing testing capacity statewide - including producing its own materials.
“Our labs are creating our own raw materials instead of relying on the global supply chain, which is in disarray,” he said.
Schnucks no longer accepting reusable bags
Schnucks Markets announced Wednesday it would temporarily stop accepting reusable bags in its grocery stores amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The new policy will begin Thursday, the company said in a news release. While there are no known cases of the virus spreading through reusable bags, the company said it would take the step as a precaution.
In the release, Schnucks also said it would encourage customers to wear face masks that cover their nose and mouth inside its stores.
On Sunday, Schnucks announced it would limit customers inside the store to one per household.
Monroe County announces first coronavirus-related death
A man in his 80s is the first COVID-19-positive patient to die from the disease in Monroe County.
Monroe County Health Department Administrator John Wagner announced the man’s death on Tuesday afternoon.
Wagner did not provide details about whether the man had underlying conditions.
St. Louis region blood bank will begin accepting donations from recovered COVID-19 patients
The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, based in Earth City, MO, announced Wednesday it would begin collecting donations of plasma from patients who have recovered from coronavirus.
“The plasma will contain antibodies that can help seriously ill patients with a COVID-19 infection,” the center said in a news release.”
The center will begin scheduling donations at its facility in Earth City soon, the release stated.
“There’s a bit of a lag period on this, because we want to draw donors who are at least 28 days from the last date they experienced symptoms,” the release stated.
Donors must also meet the center’s standard eligibility requirements for blood donation.
The treatment, known as convalescent plasma therapy, has been used to treat victims of Ebola, SARS and H1N1 influenza.
St. Clair Township closes parking lot that presents danger to social distancing guidelines
The Centennial Park parking lot in St. Clair Township will be closed off to cars beginning Wednesday because its small size does not allow for proper social distancing.
The park is still open for running, walking and biking for people and leashed dogs, Swansea Police Department said in a social media post Wednesday.
St. Clair Township Supervisor Dave Barnes Sr. said Wednesday that the township has been forced to also close its roller blade hockey rink by Wolf Branch School, all tennis courts, basketball courts at Loop Creek, pavilions at Loop Creek and all of its playgrounds amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Barnes said people have ignored the chains and fences put up around some of these amenities and continue to ignore social distancing guidelines, especially around the hours of 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., prompting the Parks and Recreation department to remove its basketball backboards as a deterrent to keep people from the courts.
Illinois receives 100 ventilators from California
Gov. J.B. Pritzker publicly thanked California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Twitter Tuesday evening for lending Illinois an additional 100 ventilators amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Pritzker announced Tuesday in his daily COVID-19 press conference that Newsom would lend the ventilators through a state-to-state mutual aid request under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
Illinois has also received 450 ventilators from the federal government.
Memorial Hospital moving baby deliveries to Shiloh
Memorial Hospital Belleville is preparing for a “surge” of COVID-19 patients in the weeks and months ahead in part by moving baby deliveries to Memorial Hospital East in Shiloh, a spokeswoman said.
The measure started Monday, according to hospital spokeswoman Kendra Whittle, as the number of people infected with the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease, reached 210 in southwestern Illinois.
She said the emergency department in Belleville would still be staffed with trained labor and delivery nurses in case of an emergency and to safely transport pregnant women to Memorial East.
Governor releases statistics on hospital bed availability
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that 3,680 people in Illinois are hospitalized; they had either tested positive for COVID-19 or they are suspected to have the disease.
As of Monday, 43% of the total hospital beds in the state were available, along with 35% of intensive care unit beds and 57% of ventilators, according to Pritzker.
He specifically mentioned the Edwardsville region, where he said “just 33%” of ICU beds were available. There are 105 total ICU beds and 70 are currently in use, the governor further stated in a news release. The state defines the Edwardsville region as an area of 18 health departments from Sagamon County to Randolph County.
Farther south in the Marion area, almost 76% of ICU beds are available.
More Walgreens testing sites coming to Illinois
Walgreens is working to expand free drive-thru testing for COVID-19 to 15 new sites in seven states, including Illinois, according to a statement on the company’s website. Exactly where those sites would be hadn’t been decided as of Tuesday.
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced March 20 that it was working with Walgreens and Walmart to set up more testing sites in the hardest-hit areas of the state. The locations would help test senior citizens, first responders and health care workers, state officials said at the time.
Walgreens opened its first site March 21 in the Chicago area.
The company hopes to test up to 3,000 people each day across the 15 new sites, which are being chosen based on “escalating rates” of COVID-19. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is helping decide where sites should be added, according to Walgreens.
Madison County to get $1.75M due to coronavirus relief law
Madison County announced Tuesday that it would be getting an added $1.75 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this year because of coronavirus relief legislation.
The extra funding is a result of the new Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, according to a news release from Madison County.
County leaders still need to decide how the money will be used within specific federal guidelines. A portion will be set aside for Granite City and Alton, specifically, the release stated.
Number of positive COVID-19 cases in southwestern Illinois reaches 294
Health departments across southwestern Illinois announced Wednesday the number of coronavirus cases continued the trend of increasing with the region’s total now at 294, up 57 from the total of 237 as of Tuesday.
The St. Clair County Health Department on Wednesday said 707 coronavirus tests have been performed, with 477 negative cases, 105 positive and 125 pending.
Madison County reported it has recorded 85 coronavirus cases with 26 people recovered.
On Monday, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced it would begin releasing ZIP codes where there are five or more positive cases.
Here’s a breakdown of the cases in southwestern Illinois as of Wednesday afternoon:
St. Louis County coronavirus death toll rises to 26, city reports 12th death
The number of COVID-19-related deaths has risen to 26 in St. Louis County, according to statistics released Wednesday.
The county has recorded 1,529 total cases as of Wednesday afternoon.
City of St. Louis officials have reported 12 COVID-19-related deaths as of Tuesday.
Illinois coronavirus cases surpass 15,000, death toll hits 462
The number of coronavirus cases in Illinois has surpassed 15,000 and 82 additional deaths have been recorded for a total of 462 deaths, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Wednesday.
The statewide total stands at 15,078 positive cases. There have been 75,066 coronavirus tests conducted across the state as of Wednesday.
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.
Recovering from COVID-19? The BND would like to talk to you
Have you recovered from coronavirus or are you in the process of recovering from COVID-19? We would like to hear from you on how you dealt with the respiratory disease. Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
This story was originally published April 8, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Wednesday live coronavirus updates: Government gives IL health centers $51 million."
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