Monday live coronavirus updates: Test all nursing home residents, White House recommends
White House recommends testing all nursing home residents
In a video conference call Monday, Vice President Mike Pence told governors that the federal government is recommending testing for all nursing home residents and staff, the Associated Press reported after it obtained a recording of the meeting.
Pence leads the White House coronavirus task force. The task force’s coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, told governors to focus on testing all 1 million nursing home residents over the next two weeks. She said the White House would help states that need it, according to the Associated Press.
The news agency reported that it was unclear why the federal government was not ordering the testing to be done and why the recommendation was coming now, over two months after the first major outbreak at a U.S. nursing home.
Belleville’s Four Fountains reaches 102 possible coronavirus patients
In the St. Clair County Health Department’s daily update Sunday, it reported that 102 people connected to Four Fountains in Belleville had either tested positive for COVID-19 or had symptoms since a coronavirus outbreak started there. Sixteen people from Four Fountains have died, according to health officials.
There was no change in the numbers out of Four Fountains in the health department’s update Monday.
The totals could include residents or employees. And unlike other coronavirus data, the numbers out of long-term care facilities include both people who have tested positive and people who have COVID-19 like symptoms based on guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“In facilities where cases already exist, residents who display symptoms are to be treated as if positive, but staff are to be tested to determine who can care for residents and who should be isolated,” the Illinois Department of Public Health states on its website.
Here is the information the St. Clair County Health Department provided Monday during the 3:30 p.m. live stream by the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency on Facebook about the number of people known or suspected to have COVID-19, either because of a test result or their symptoms:
- Four Fountains in Belleville - 102 people, including 16 deaths
- Memorial Care Center in Belleville - 43 people, including five deaths
- Lebanon Care Center - 37 people, including seven deaths
- BRIA of Belleville - 23 people, including two deaths
- St. Paul’s Home in Belleville - 10 people, including three deaths
- BRIA of Cahokia - Eight people
- Caritas Family Solutions in Belleville - Six people
- Help at Home in O’Fallon - Five people
- TDL, Inc. in Belleville - Four people
- Colonnade in O’Fallon - Three people
Senior staff member for governor has COVID-19
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced Monday that a senior staff member who did not have symptoms of COVID-19 tested positive for the respiratory disease late last week.
The senior staff member was in close contact with the governor and other employees, but Pritzker and all other staff who report to the governor’s office have tested negative for COVID-19, according to a news release from Pritzker.
Employees in the governor’s office will now work from home “for an appropriate isolation period,” the release stated.
Pritzker’s daily press briefings will continue, according to his office. The briefings are live streamed at illinois.gov/LiveVideo and on Facebook and Twitter.
COVID-19 outbreak reported at White House
There has been an outbreak of the coronavirus among staff at the White House in Washington D.C., the New York Times reported Sunday.
Three top officials involved in the federal government’s response efforts have started two weeks of self-quarantine after two members of the White House staff — Katie Miller, spokeswoman for Vice President Mike Pence, and one of President Trump’s personal valets — tested positive for the virus, the report stated.
According to the Associated Press, Pence has chosen to self-isolate after being exposed to his aide who tested positive.
The officials in quarantine are Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Businesses that defy stay-at-home order could face legal issues
Businesses and municipalities that defy the governor’s stay-at-home order by opening their doors early could face lawsuits, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association said in a statement to Rich Miller, contributor to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“The risk of opening early outweighs the benefit of limiting liability not only for the municipality but also for any employer who follows the guidelines of the municipality,” said ITLA President Antonio Romanucci in a written statement, according to the Sun-Times. “The prudent course would be to stay closed for another 25 days and limit any further potential spread which could lead to litigation.”
Kevin Martin, executive director of the Illinois Insurance Association, also told Miller that insurance policies are “not going to cover intentional acts” like intentionally reopening in violation of the executive order.
The Illinois Department of Insurance further stated in a news release, “If businesses reopen contrary to public health guidelines and the state’s executive orders, there is risk that an insurer could find reason within the policy language to deny COVID-19 related claims,” the Sun-Times reported.
Illinois health officials announce 1,656 new coronavirus cases
Illinois had 1,656 new COVID-19 cases and 57 additional deaths on Sunday, according to health officials.
The announcement by the Illinois Department of Public Health brought the statewide total of coronavirus cases to 77,741 and the total number of deaths to 3,406.
Southwestern Illinois coronavirus cases
Since the pandemic began, a total of 1,751 people in the region have tested positive for COVID-19 and 122 have died.
Here are the statistics for southwestern Illinois counties as of Monday:
St. Clair County
Monday’s new data: Two new positives, three new deaths
Total overall: 763 positives, 62 deaths, 3,589 tests administered, 42 tests pending
ZIP codes with positive cases (ZIP codes with five or fewer cases are not reported):
- 62201 (East St. Louis, Sauget): 12
- 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 26
- 62204 (East St. Louis, Washington Park, Caseyville): 32
- 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 35
- 62206 (Cahokia, Centreville, Sauget): 68
- 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 46
- 62208 (Fairview Heights, O’Fallon): 40
- 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 84
- 62285 (Smithton): 6
- 62221 (Belleville, Shiloh): 60
- 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 41
- 62226 (Belleville, Swansea, Shiloh): 93
- 62254 (Lebanon): 19
- 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 14
- 62239 (Dupo): 11
- 62269 (O’Fallon, Shiloh): 61
- 62257 (Marissa): 8
- 62232 (Caseyville): 9
- 62265 (New Baden): 9
Madison County
Monday’s new data: Nine new positives, one new death
Total overall: 440 positives, 32 deaths, 85 hospitalizations, 161 recoveries
ZIP codes with positive cases:
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 67
- 62010 (Bethalto): 9
- 62024 (East Alton): 7
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 101
- 62095 (Wood River): 11
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 48
- 62035 (Godfrey): 17
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach, Madison): 63
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 16
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 8
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 34
- 62249 (Highland): 10
- 62294 (Troy): 16
- 62062 (Maryville): 6
- 62230 (Breese) 6
Monroe County
Monday’s new data: One new positive
Total overall: 81 positives, 11 deaths, 29 recoveries
ZIP codes with positive cases:
- 62236 (Columbia): 36
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 7
- 62298 (Waterloo): 37
Clinton County
Monday’s new data: One new positive, two new deaths
Total overall: 124 positives, 12 deaths, 731 tests administered, nine hospitalizations, 39 recoveries
ZIP codes with positive cases:
- 62230 (Breese): 6
- 62231 (Carlyle): 64
- 62265 (New Baden): 10
- 62801 (Centralia): 50
Randolph County
Monday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 225 positives, two deaths, 1,044 tests administered, five hospitalizations, 129 recoveries
ZIP codes with positive cases:
- 62233 (Chester): 82
- 62272 (Willisville, Percy): 44
- 62278 (Red Bud): 15
- 62286 (Sparta): 27
- 62288 (Steeleville): 31
Washington County
Monday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 15 positives, 13 recoveries
Bond County
Monday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: Eight positives, one death, 140 tests administered, six tests pending, three recoveries
Jersey County
Monday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 17 positives, one death, 10 recoveries
ZIP code with positive cases:
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 13
Macoupin County
Monday’s new data: One new positive
Total overall: 39 positives, one death, 877 tests administered, 22 tests pending, three hospitalizations, 28 recoveries
ZIP code with positive cases:
- 62088 (Staunton): 6
- 62069 (Mount Olive): 8
- 62056 (Litchfield): 12
Calhoun County
Monday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: One positive, one recovery
Perry County
Monday’s new data: Two new positives
Total overall: 38 positives, 13 recoveries
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 16
Nation, world coronavirus cases
According to data from John Hopkins University, this is how many people have been affected by COVID-19 across the nation and world as of 2 p.m. Monday:
- United States: 1,339,819 people tested positive; 216,169 people recovered (16%); 79,894 people died (6%)
- World: 4,152,670 people tested positive; 1,432,542 people recovered (34%); 284,536 people died (7%)
Federal grants to help region expand testing
Democratic U.S. Sens. from Illinois Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced Monday that federal grants will be awarded to communities across the state for coronavirus testing.
In a news release, Durbin and Duckworth said the money could go toward purchasing personal protective equipment, training staff or and expanding walk-up or drive-up testing capabilities, among those uses.
Here is how much funding is going to southwestern Illinois, according to the release:
- Southern Illinois Health Care Foundation (East St. Louis): $1,688,104
- Macoupin County (Carlinville): $214,909
MLB season could start in July
Major League Baseball owners are proposing a July start for the season delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Associated Press reported Monday.
Games would start around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans if the players’ union accepts the plan, according to the report.
Want to help? Here are some ideas
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
Who to call about mental health
Here are some resources from mental health professionals for anyone struggling during the coronavirus pandemic:
- Touchette Regional Hospital’s Mental Health Support and Resource Line to talk to trained therapy staff: call 618-482-7158
- Illinois Human Services Mental Health Division’s Call4Calm to text with a mental health care professional for free: text the word “talk” to 552020.
- Centerstone of Illinois, Inc. for virtual mental health services: call 618-462-2331.
- Chestnut Health Systems for virtual mental health services: call 618-877-4420.
- Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous for virtual meetings: call 618-398-9409 or email metroeastnapr@gmail.com.
- Regional Disaster Mental Health Volunteer response team’s Support Line for health care professionals: call 618-381-5173.
Contact 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.
We’d like to hear from health care workers
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.
Willing to share your COVID-19 story?
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 May 11, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
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