Saturday live coronavirus updates: State relief funds provide tablets for seniors

Southwest Illinois coronavirus cases

Local health departments are reporting the number of coronavirus cases in southwestern Illinois has reached 2,447 as of Friday, and the number of deaths has increased to 188.

Overall, there were 44 new cases and two new deaths in the region Friday.

Statewide, the Illinois Department of Public Health on Friday reported 86 new deaths and new positive cases, bringing the totals to people who have died in connection with the virus and infected. Additionally, people in Illinois have been tested for the virus.

Here are the latest available statistics for southwestern Illinois counties:

ST. CLAIR COUNTY

Friday’s new data: 31 new positives, two new deaths, 81 new tests administered, 20 new recoveries

Total overall: 1,198 positives, 92 deaths, 6,823 tests administered, 61 hospitalizations, 756 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives (ZIP codes with five or fewer cases are not reported):

MADISON COUNTY

Friday’s new data: 11 new positive cases, 201 new tests administered, one new hospitalization, 75 new recoveries

Total overall: 569 positives, 58 deaths, 5,675 tests administered, 100 hospitalizations, 274 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

CLINTON COUNTY

Friday’s new data: One new positive case, five new tests administered, one new recovery

Total overall: 182 positives, 17 deaths, 1,059 tests administered, one hospitalization, 90 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

MONROE COUNTY

Friday’s new data: No new cases

Total overall: 94 positives, 11 deaths, eight hospitalizations, 51 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Friday’s new data: One new positive case, 23 new tests administered

Total overall: 268 positives, four deaths, 1,581 tests administered, one hospitalization, 242 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Friday’s new data: No new data

Total overall: 18 positives, 15 recoveries

BOND COUNTY

Friday’s new data: No new data

Total overall: 12 positives, one death, one hospitalization, six recoveries, 214 tests administered, one test pending

JERSEY COUNTY

Friday’s new data: No new data

Total overall: 20 positives, one death, 17 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

MACOUPIN COUNTY

Friday’s new data: 42 new tests administered, four new tests pending

Total overall: 45 positives, two deaths, 2,559 tests administered, 36 recoveries, two hospitalizations, 10 tests pending

ZIP codes with positives:

CALHOUN COUNTY

Friday’s new data: No new data

Total overall: One positive, one recovery

PERRY COUNTY

Friday’s new data: No new data

Total overall: 42 positives, 38 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

Illinois to give some elderly tablets to improve contact during COVID-19

Nearly $1.7 million in federal funds will go toward keeping elderly and disabled Illinoisans in contact with their loved ones as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The funding is being provided to the Illinois Department of Aging and Illinois Department of Human Services and will be put toward purchasing technology devices aimed to increase social engagement for those who live alone, those who don’t receive in-home services and people who live in rural areas.

The devices will be equipped with apps like FaceTime, Zoom, telehealth apps and other mental stimulators.

“The stress on everybody is growing every day, and we want you to know you are not alone,” said Paula Basta, Director of IDoA. “While senior communities have been locking down, we’ve also been looking at creative ways to keep residents engaged to counter the isolation. Providing these new technologies will help establish the social connection that our seniors need to maintain their health.”

Several state agencies are currently working to identify those in need of the devices. Visit www.dhs.illinois.gov/HelpIsHere or call 1-833-2-FIND-HELP (1-833-234-6343) for more information.

Missouri extends social distancing order until mid-June

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced the state’s social distancing order will be extended until June 15 in his Thursday press briefing.

The order which is part of the state’s first phase of reopening asks that any residents of Missouri practice social distancing if they leave their homes.

The order was scheduled to expire Monday.

State, nation, world coronavirus cases

On Thursday, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,527 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 104 more people have died statewide. Illinois has seen a total of 5,186 deaths across the state during the pandemic and a total of 115,833 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

According to data from John Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center, this is how many people have been affected by COVID-19 across the nation and world as of 5 p.m. Thursday:

• United States: 1,717,756 people tested positive; 399,991 people recovered; 101,470 people have died.
  
  
• World: 5,765,094 people tested positive; 2,398,228 people recovered; 358,369 people died.
  
  

Want to help? Here are some ideas

The BND has compiled a list of ways you can help during the COVID-19 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 throughout the day with information about the spread of the coronavirus in southwestern Illinois.

You can also find the most complete and up-to-date information from government sites including:

• State of Illinois’ COVID-19 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 COVID-19 pandemic:

• Touchette Regional Hospital’s Mental Health Support and Resource Line: Call 618-482-7158 to talk to trained therapy staff.
• Illinois Human Services Mental Health Division’s Call4Calm: Text the word “talk” to 552020 to text with a mental health care professional for free.
  
  
• Centerstone of Illinois, Inc.: Call 618-462-2331 for virtual mental health services.
• Chestnut Health Systems: Call 618-877-4420 for virtual mental health services.
• Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous: Call 618-398-9409 or email metroeastnapr@gmail.com to learn about virtual meetings.
• Regional Disaster Mental Health Volunteer Response Team: Call a support line for health care professionals at 618-381-5173.

Contact BND with tips, concerns, suggestions

If you have suggestions about something for the BND to cover regarding the COVID-19 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 30, 2020 at 12:42 PM.