Sunday live coronavirus updates: Most churches in southwest Illinois opt for online
Most churches in southwest Illinois keep services online
Most churches in the metro-east did not take advantage Sunday of a change in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s policy on religious services during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pritzker lifted restrictions on church gatherings Thursday in the face of multiple lawsuits. The Illinois Department of Public Health instead released detailed guidance for churches as they reopen under the threat of COVID-19.
But many churches opted to continue holding services online, at least during the first weekend in Phase 3 of the governor’s Restore Illinois reopening plan.
Churches in the Catholic Diocese of Belleville continued to suspend public Mass, opting for online streaming instead.
The Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville, meantime, hinted on Friday about a reopening plan. The Diocese of Springfield announced it would begin hosting public Mass at 25% capacity on the weekend of June 7.
The Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church would renew its commitment to remote worship, Bishop John Roth said in a May 13 letter, but did not indicate when they would reopen churches.
Faith Baptist Church in Belleville, however, held in-person services Sunday with a maximum capacity of 70 people, and churchgoers were required to register online ahead of time.
Several other metro-east churches opted to hold services online, including St. Mark Lutheran Church, Victory Family Church, New Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Grace Church and Union United Methodist Church. Others, such as Zion Lutheran Church in Belleville and First Baptist Church in Fairview Heights, held services in their parking lots.
First Baptist Church planned to return to in-person worship the first weekend in June with social distancing guidelines, capacity limits and reservations.
Southwest Illinois coronavirus cases
Local health departments reported Saturday that the number of coronavirus cases in southwestern Illinois had reached 2,476 and the number of deaths had increased to 192.
St. Clair County reported a death, a man in his 70s with underlying health conditions.
Overall, there were 29 new cases among counties that report on Saturday. There were four deaths in the region, including two in Madison County and another in Monroe County.
Statewide, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Saturday that 1,462 additional people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours.
That brings the state’s total of confirmed cases to 118,917 with 5,272 deaths, which is 61 more fatalities since Friday’s daily update. An additional 25,343 Illinois residents were tested.
Here are the latest available statistics for southwestern Illinois counties:
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 19 new positives, one new death, 81 new tests administered, 20 new recoveries
Total overall: 1,217 positives, 92 deaths, 6,933 tests administered, 55 hospitalizations, 756 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives (ZIP codes with five or fewer cases are not reported):
62059 (Brooklyn): 7
62201 (East St. Louis): 16
62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 42
62204 (East St. Louis): 45
62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 46
62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 105
62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 71
62208 (Fairview Heights): 75
62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 138
62221 (Belleville): 107
62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 48
62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 135
62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 21
62239 (Dupo): 15
62243 (Freeburg): 8
62254 (Lebanon): 34
62257 (Marissa): 11
62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 17
62260 (Millstadt): 7
62269 (O’Fallon): 70
62285 (Smithton): 13
MADISON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 9 new positive cases, 252 new tests administered, 2 deaths, 13 new recoveries
Total overall: 578 positives, 60 deaths, 5,928 tests administered, 100 hospitalizations, 387 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 100
62010 (Bethalto): 14
62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 7
62024 (East Alton): 10
62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 113
62035 (Godfrey): 22
62095 (Wood River): 25
62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach):78
62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 23
62062 (Maryville): 9
62090 (Madison, Venice): 11
62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 53
62249 (Highland): 13
62294 (Troy): 19
CLINTON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 182 positives, 17 deaths, 1,059 tests administered, one hospitalization, 90 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
62230 (Breese): 9
62265 (New Baden): 32
62801 (Centralia): 61
MONROE COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 1 new case, 1 new death
Total overall: 95 positives, 11 deaths, eight hospitalizations, 51 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
62236 (Columbia): 42
62298 (Waterloo): 46
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 268 positives, four deaths, 1,581 tests administered, one hospitalization, 242 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
62233 (Chester): 98
62272 (Willisville, Percy): 50
62286 (Sparta): 45
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 18 positives, 15 recoveries
BOND COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 12 positives, one death, one hospitalization, six recoveries, 214 tests administered, one test pending
JERSEY COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 20 positives, one death, 17 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
62052 (Jerseyville): 14
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: no new data
Total overall: 45 positives, two deaths, 2,559 tests administered, 36 recoveries, two hospitalizations, 10 tests pending
ZIP codes with positives:
62012 (Brighton): 6
62069 (Mount Olive): 9
CALHOUN COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: One positive, one recovery
PERRY COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 42 positives, 38 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
62274 (Pinckneyville): 10
62232 (Caseyville): 21
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 31, 2020 at 10:57 AM with the headline "Sunday live coronavirus updates: Most churches in southwest Illinois opt for online."
