Saturday live coronavirus updates: Total of 963 southern Illinois citizens test positive
Here is a roundup of coronavirus news you need to know Saturday:
Jersey County reports its first coronavirus death
Jersey County reported its first coronavirus-related death on Saturday, and Monroe County reported another death, bringing southwestern Illinois’ total death toll from coronavirus to 51.
Officials did not provide details about the person who died in Jersey County. The death in Monroe County was at Garden Place in Columbia. Monroe County now has 10 coronavirus deaths, nine from Garden Place and one in the public.
Illinois’ latest statewide coronavirus numbers Saturday include 80 new deaths
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported there was another increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the state Friday.
During the state’s daily COVID-19 news conference, officials announced 2,119 new cases and 80 additional deaths.
The announcement brings the statewide total of positive coronavirus cases to 41,777 and the total number of deaths to 1,874.
Illinois testing over 10,000 people per day
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state reached its goal Friday of testing more than 10,000 people for the coronavirus in one day, an important milestone in the process of reopening the economy.
Last week, the state had tested at most 5,660 people in the preceding 24 hours, Pritzker said at his daily briefing in Chicago. By Wednesday this week, the state surpassed 9,000 tests.
On Friday, the state has tested 16,124 individuals for COVID-19.
Testing is critical to identifying people who need to be treated, but also to understand where the virus is circulating and how to address high levels of community transmission, said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Sufficient testing could prevent outbreaks from occurring.
Pritzker said testing is also essential to know when businesses can safely reopen reopening.
12 residents die at Madison County nursing home
Twelve residents at a Madison County nursing home who had COVID-19 have died since an outbreak started there, the county said Friday.
Madison County spokeswoman Cynthia Ellis distributed a news release around 4:10 p.m. Friday about outbreaks caused by the coronavirus in three of the county’s nursing homes. The release did not identify those facilities.
At the nursing home where 12 residents have died, another 42 have also tested positive for COVID-19, according to the county’s release, for a total of 54 people there affected by the respiratory disease.
Another facility has had 11 residents test positive, and at the third facility, one resident tested positive and one is considered a “case contact positive,” the release stated.
Four Fountains has 24 known or suspected COVID-19 cases
The number of people affected by the coronavirus outbreak at Four Fountains in Belleville increased each day from Sunday to Friday.
The St. Clair County Health Department announced Friday afternoon that a total of 24 people who work or receive care at the facility now either have a formal diagnosis through testing or they have symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The total has grown from eight people on Sunday, when the health department first released information about long-term care facilities that are experiencing outbreaks. By Wednesday, it had more than doubled to 17 people.
One person connected to Four Fountains has died, the health department said Sunday. There has been no increase in deaths to date.
Two more long-term care centers in St. Clair County have outbreaks
On Friday, the St. Clair County Health Department announced that St. Paul’s Home in Belleville and Lebanon Care Center in Lebanon have each had three people test positive for COVID-19 or show symptoms of the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Nursing homes and other long-term care centers treat anyone with symptoms as if they have COVID-19 after there has been a diagnosis there, according to state officials.
Three other facilities in the county with outbreaks have not seen a change in their numbers since Wednesday. Four Fountains has recorded more COVID-19 patients daily.
Here are the latest numbers on known or suspected COVID-19 patients at long-term care facilities released by the health department:
- Four Fountains in Belleville: 24 patients, one death
- Memorial Care Center in Belleville: 14 patients, one death
- BRIA of Belleville: 12 patients, one death
- St. Paul’s Home in Belleville: Three patients
- Lebanon Care Center: Three patients
- Colonnade in O’Fallon: Two patients
Southwestern Illinois coronavirus cases by ZIP code
Here’s a breakdown of the 914 COVID-19 cases in southwestern Illinois as of Saturday afternoon. These numbers are updated by 4 p.m. daily at BND.com. ZIP codes with fewer than five positive test results are not reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
St. Clair County
Saturday’s new data: 20 positive cases, 56 new tests administered.
Total overall: 382 positives, 22 deaths, 1,552 tests administered, 49 tests pending
ZIP codes with positive cases (ZIP codes with five or fewer cases are not reported):
- 62201 (East St. Louis, Sauget): 10
- 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 13
- 62204 (East St. Louis, Washington Park, Caseyville): 11
- 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 13
- 62206 (Cahokia, Centreville, Sauget): 35
- 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 22
- 62208 (Fairview Heights, O’Fallon): 25
- 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 35
- 62221 (Belleville, Shiloh): 31
- 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 23
- 62226 (Belleville, Swansea, Shiloh): 55
- 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 12
- 62269 (O’Fallon, Shiloh): 34
Madison County
Saturday’s new data: nine positive cases, three hospitalizations, zero recoveries.
Total overall: 286 positive cases, 16 deaths, 73 hospitalizations, 82 recoveries
ZIP codes with positive cases:
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 41
- 62010 (Bethalto): 8
- 62024 (East Alton): 7
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 76
- 62095 (Wood River): 9
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 23
- 62035 (Godfrey): 8
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach, Madison): 43
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 8
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 23
- 62249 (Highland): 9
- 62294 (Troy): 10
Clinton County
Saturday’s new data: nine positive cases, 270 tests administered.
Total overall: 83 positive cases, 586 tests administered
ZIP codes with positive cases:
- 62265 (New Baden): 8
- 62801 (Centralia): 40
Monroe County
Saturday’s new data: two cases, one death.
Total overall: 67 cases, 10 deaths
ZIP codes with positive cases:
- 62236 (Columbia): 32
- 62298 (Waterloo): 25
Washington County
Saturday’s new data: one positive case, one recovery.
Total overall: Eight positive cases, five recoveries, 122 negative results
Randolph County
Saturday’s new data: eight positive cases, zero deaths.
Total overall: 87 positive cases, one death, three hospitalizations, 48 recoveries
ZIP code with positive cases:
- 62233 (Chester): 39
- 62278 (Red Bud): 13
- 62286 (Sparta): 10
Bond County
Saturday’s new data: nothing to report.
Total overall: five positives, 79 tests administered, three tests pending, three recovered
Jersey County
Saturday’s new data: one death.
Total overall: 12 positive cases, five recoveries
ZIP code with positive cases:
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 9
Macoupin County
Saturday’s new data: Nothing to report.
Total overall: 25 positives, 339 tests administered, 25 tests pending, 15 recovered.
ZIP code with positive cases:
- 62069 (Mt. Olive): 7
Calhoun County
Saturday’s new data: nothing to report.
Total overall: one positive, one recovered.
Perry County
Saturday’s new data: nothing to report.
Total overall: seven positive cases.
Group gives food, toiletries to 1,700 families
An estimated $65,000 worth of food and toiletries was distributed to about 1,700 area families on Friday.
Families feeling the economic strain the coronavirus pandemic started lining up early at Landmark Boulevard in Alton for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. giveaway.
Volunteers distributed care packages containing fresh produce, milk, dried and canned goods, toiletries and fruit to area families.
The next event is planned for Friday, May 2 on the site of the former Jamestown Mall. The Urban League hopes to serve 2,500 families between 12 and 3 p.m. said Brenda Walker McCain, Madison County Urban League President and CEO.
More than 1,500 families were served last week in East St. Louis.
Graduation ceremony moving online for Belleville seniors
Belleville high school seniors will be celebrating their graduation online this year.
Belleville High School District 201 informed families Friday that this year’s graduation will be held virtually due to COVID-19 concerns with a possible in-person ceremony later in the summer.
Seniors from both Belleville East and West will receive their virtual diplomas sometime around the originally scheduled ceremonies which were set on May 19 and 20 respectively.
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 25, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
