St. Clair County officials worry rising COVID-19 positivity will tighten restrictions
Local health officials reported 128 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, with St. Clair County accounting for 63 of them.
The new cases move the region closer to 8% COVID-19 positivity rate, a milestone that would force the state to intervene.
The metro-east region, which includes St. Clair, Madison, Bond, Clinton, Washington, Randolph and Monroe counties, saw 7.8% of test results coming back positive, or the positivity rate, as of Jule 25. An 8% positivity rate for three consecutive days could automatically trigger restrictions on businesses.
During St. Clair County’s daily update on the county’s COVID-19 cases, St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern and Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said the county and region are keeping an eye on the positivity rate.
“We really didn’t expect [that] — we know the numbers are rising — but that’s a pretty significant increase from yesterday and it is not very far from that 8 percent level,” Kern said. “Three days of 8 [percent] and we’re back to where we are in June.”
Simmons said while there has been promising news in the recent weeks — specifically a decline in coronavirus-related deaths and a report of no new cases at county nursing homes Tuesday — the rising cases are still a major issue.
He said it’s not a county-specific issue and that almost all of the region’s leaders are keeping an eye on the percentage.
“We’re watching that percentage by the hour sometimes,” Simmons said. “We’re hoping over the next few days we’re going to see that get back to a little lower.”
Madison County reported 56 new positive cases with increases in more than half of the county’s zip codes. The average percentage of tests coming back positive, or the positivity rate, over seven days was at 6.16% as of Tuesday, an increase from the 5.93% rate reported on Monday.
Numbers update from Illinois
Meanwhile, the state announced 1,076 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 30 additional virus-related deaths.
Illinois has seen a total of 7,446 deaths during the pandemic as of Tuesday , officials reported. A total of 173,731 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, while more than 2.5 million people have been tested for COVID-19.
The ages of people with the virus range from younger than one to older than 100 years, the state reported. Additionally, state health officials said Tuesday the preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests from July 21-27 is 3.8 percent.
As of last night, 1,383 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 329 patients were in an intensive care unit and 128 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Here are the latest available statistics for southwestern Illinois counties. The number in parenthesis reflects how the new daily total compares to the prior day total. Subtractions occur when a COVID-19 positive patient is misdiagnosed or moves away from the area.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 63 new positives, 641 new tests administered
Total overall: 3,593 positives, 151 deaths, 32,770 tests administered with four pending results, 2,503 recoveries, 41 hospitalizations, no patients on a ventilator
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62059 (Brooklyn): 9
- 62201 (East St. Louis): 174 (+1)
- 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 146 (+3)
- 62204 (East St. Louis): 109 (+5)
- 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 139 (+2)
- 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 323 (+10)
- 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 196 (+3)
- 62208 (Fairview Heights): 224 (+6)
- 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 284 (+2)
- 62221 (Belleville): 308 (+3)
- 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 147 (+3)
- 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 16 (+2)
- 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 363 (+7)
- 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 75 (+2)
- 62239 (Dupo): 35
- 62240 (Dupo): 13
- 62243 (Freeburg): 23 (+2)
- 62254 (Lebanon): 114 (+1)
- 62255 (Lenzburg): 11 (+1)
- 62257 (Marissa): 19
- 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 49 (+2)
- 62260 (Millstadt): 39
- 62264 (New Athens): 65
- 62269 (O’Fallon): 232 (+7)
- 62285 (Smithton): 30 (+1)
MADISON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 56 new positives, 521 new tests administered
Total overall: 1,905 positives, 72 deaths, 34,804 tests administered, 1,026 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62001 (Alhambra): 0
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 255
- 62010 (Bethalto): 78
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 19 (-1)
- 62024 (East Alton): 31 (-1)
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 261 (+4)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 145 (+6)
- 62035 (Godfrey): 105
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 355
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 6
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 75 (+3)
- 62061 (Marine): 8 (+2)
- 62062 (Maryville): 46
- 62067 (Moro): 13
- 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 8
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 22
- 62095 (Wood River): 55 (+5)
- 62097 (Worden): 9 (+2)
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 229
- 62249 (Highland): 47
- 62294 (Troy): 89 (+2)
- 62281 (St. Jacob): 18 (+3)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Tuesday’s New Data: No new data
Total overall: 421 positives, 7 deaths, 5,378 tests conducted, 354 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 11
- 62233 (Chester): 143 (+1)
- 62237 (Coulterville): 12
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 9
- 62242 (Evansville): 9 (+1)
- 62272 (Willisville, Percy): 58
- 62278 (Red Bud): 56 (+1)
- 62286 (Sparta): 72
- 62288 (Steeleville): 47 (+3)
CLINTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s New Data: No new data
Total overall: 305 positives, 17 deaths, 261 recoveries, one hospitalization
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 8 (+1)
- 62216 (Aviston): 14
- 62230 (Breese): 36 (+3)
- 62231 (Carlyle): 96 (+1)
- 62245 (Germantown): 11 (+1)
- 62265 (New Baden): 62 (+2)
- 62293 (Trenton): 22
- 62801 (Centralia): 97 (+1)
MONROE COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 5 new positives
Total overall: 232 positives, 12 deaths
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 99 (+2)
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 14
- 62298 (Waterloo): 98 (+1)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 4 new positives, 191 new tests administered
Total overall: 121 positives, 4 deaths, 9,084 tests administered with 113 pending results, 54 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62012 (Brighton): 23 (+1)
62014 (Bunker Hill): 11 (+3)
62033 (Gillespie): 11
62069 (Mount Olive): 13
- 62088 (Staunton): 16
- 62626 (Carlinville): 26
PERRY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 93 positives, one death, 65 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 9
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 19
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 39
JERSEY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 59 positives, 1 death, 50 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 30
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 50 positives, 35 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 14 (+1)
- 62808 (Ashley): 9
- 62848 (Irvington): 7
BOND COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: One new positive
Total overall: 41 positives, 2 deaths, 20 recoveries, 1,893 tests administered
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62246 (Greenville): 29 (+1)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: Six positives, two recoveries
State, nation, world statistics
Here are the latest available statistics from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus map as of Tuesday afternoon:
- Illinois: 173,731 cases, 7,446 deaths
- U.S.: 4,330,437 cases, 148,817 deaths, 1,325,804 recoveries
- World: 16,591,940 cases, 657,337 deaths, 9,644,387 recoveries
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 July 28, 2020 at 4:50 PM.