Madison County reports highest daily COVID-19 death toll since June, 62 new cases
The metro-east region reported a total of 131 new positive tests and 3 new deaths as of 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Madison County reported 62 new cases and 3 new deaths — a woman in her 60s, a man in his 80s and a man in his 90s. It is unknown if any of them had underlying health conditions.
St. Clair County, meanwhile, announced 53 new cases, down from 95 on Thursday. Other southwestern Illinois counties reporting new cases Friday included Monroe (7), Randolph (3), Washington (3), and Perry (3).
In addition, the Macoupin County Public Health Department reported Friday that BG’s Grub and Pub located at 110 E. Warren Street, Bunker Hill, has temporarily closed due to a COVID-19 outbreak among their staff. Upon notification of the fourth positive case within their restaurant/bar, they were in direct contact with the Macoupin County Public Health Department.
BG’s Grub and Pub and the Macoupin County Public Health Department are working together closely to ensure the safety of their patrons and staff. If anyone patronized their restaurant/bar between Aug. 1-6 the health department warned they are at risk for exposure. The Macoupin County Public Health Department encourages people to closely self-monitor for COVID-19 related symptoms. If people have any concerns or want to be tested, please call the Macoupin County COVID 19 Hotline at 217-313-5078.
Also, on Thursday, Jersey County announced 19 new cases and their second death. No additional information was available. Clinton County, meanwhile, reported 12 new cases Thursday.
The state’s public health agency defines the metro-east region as St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, Clinton, Bond and Washington counties.
The metro-east reported a 6.9% positivity rate for the seven-day period from July 29 to Aug. 4, according to the most recent data available on the state’s regional metrics website. If the metro-east reaches an 8% positivity rate and stays there for three days, the state could impose restrictions to help slow the spread of the virus.
According to IDPH, as of Friday afternoon, 45% of the metro-east’s ICU beds are in use and 31% of ventilators are being used.
Warning levels for southwestern Illinois counties
Additionally, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported Friday that 13 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for novel coronavirus.
A county enters a warning level when it sees an increase to two or more risk indicators.
The 13 counties currently reported at a warning level included Monroe and Perry counties. St. Clair County is on the list for the third week in a row. The others include Cass, Coles, Grundy, Iroquois, Jackson, Saline, St. Clair, Tazewell, Union, Williamson, Winnebago.
These counties saw cases or outbreaks associated with businesses, long-term care facilities, large social gatherings, and out of state travel. There have been several instances of multiple cases among family members in the same, large household, according to IDPH..
St. Clair County’s latest rundown
St. Clair County now has 4,282 coronavirus cases and 157 deaths related to the virus, leading the metro-east in both categories.
Additionally, the county announced a daily positivity rate of 4.8%, down from 7.6% on Thursday. The positivity rate is the percentage of coronavirus tests that are positive among those tests taken that day.
The county announced Friday that 41 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19 and that 3 of those people are on ventilators.
Cases reported Friday in St. Clair County ranged in age from young people in their teens to people in their 70s, including 4 individuals in their teens, 9 individuals in their 20s, and 12 individuals in their 30s.
The two biggest jumps by zip code in St. Clair County on Friday were 62223 (Belleville, Swansea — +9 for a total of 202) and 62226 (Belleville, Swansea — +7 for a total of 440).
During the county’s daily briefing, Barb Hohlt, executive director of the St. Clair County Health Department, discussed schools reopening.
“We are advising schools, if possible, to strongly consider going remote based off the scientific facts we have,” Hohlt said, while adding she is not telling schools not to reopen. “We don’t have a cure. We don’t have a vaccine. We want to protect our children as best we can. It’s up to each district to manage it.”
Herb Simmons, director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, lost two friends to COVID-19 on Thursday and again urged the community to follow all the safety protocols.
“My condolences to the family,” he said. “We keep saying we don’t want that number (of deaths) to go up. Every day I see more and more people wearing their masks. I see more and more people social distancing. However, we still have a good percentage of people out there flubbing their nose at this.”
Simmons also said he absolutely wants businesses to remain open, but, if they get shut down due to rising COVID-19 infections not to blame the county or state.
“We want businesses open. If we go backwards, you’re going to be the same people saying we shut you down. We didn’t shut you down. The state didn’t shut you down ... Off my rant. It’s been a bad day,” he said.
Madison County by the numbers
Madison County, meanwhile, now has 2,440 coronavirus cases and 77 deaths.
The two biggest jumps by zip code in Madison County on Friday were 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey — +9 for a total of 337) and 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach — +9 for a total of 422).
The county also reported a daily positivity rate of 9.84% up from 8.08% on Thursday, and its 7-day moving average positivity rate of 7.24% is up from 7.11% on Thursday.
Numbers update from Illinois
Meanwhile, the state announced 2,084 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday — the highest daily count since May — and 21 additional virus-related deaths.
Illinois has seen a total of 7,613 deaths during the pandemic as of Friday, officials reported. A total of 190,508 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, while more than 2.9 million people have been tested for COVID-19, 46,869 of which were tested since Thursday.
Currently, 1,486 people in Illinois are in the hospital with COVID-19, and of those patients, 333 are in the ICU and 125 patients are using ventilators.
As of Friday, the preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate from July 29-Aug. 6 was 4.1%.
Here are the latest available statistics for southwestern Illinois counties. The number in parentheses reflects how the new daily total compares to the prior day’s total. Subtractions occur when a COVID-19 positive patient is misdiagnosed or moves away from the area.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 53 new positives, 1,113 new tests administered, 85 new recoveries, 5 fewer hospitalizations, 1 additional patient on a ventilator
Total overall: 4,282 positives, 157 deaths, 42,575 tests administered with no results pending, 3,200 recoveries, 41 hospitalizations with 3 patients on ventilators
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62059 (Brooklyn): 10
- 62201 (East St. Louis): 189 (-1)
- 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 156 (+1)
- 62204 (East St. Louis): 119 (+3)
- 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 161 (+3)
- 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 354 (+1)
- 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 204
- 62208 (Fairview Heights): 275 (+1)
- 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 351 (+4)
- 62221 (Belleville): 379 (+7)
- 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 202 (+9)
- 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 17
- 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 440 (+7)
- 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 90 (+1
- 62239 (Dupo): 53 (+2)
- 62240 (Dupo): 17 (+1)
- 62243 (Freeburg): 32 (+2)
- 62254 (Lebanon): 130 (+2)
- 62255 (Lenzburg): 13
- 62257 (Marissa): 23 (+1)
- 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 73 (+4)
- 62260 (Millstadt): 64 (+2)
- 62264 (New Athens): 70 (+1)
- 62269 (O’Fallon): 305 (+2)
- 62285 (Smithton): 39
MADISON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 62 new positives, 3 new deaths, 630 new tests administered, 41 new recoveries
Total overall: 2,440 positives, 74 deaths, 41,344 tests administered, 1,121 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 337 (+9)
- 62010 (Bethalto): 91 (+1)
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 25 (+1)
- 62024 (East Alton): 42 (+3)
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 358 (+7)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 171 (+3)
- 62035 (Godfrey): 129 (+4)
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 422 (+9)
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 6
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 77
- 62061 (Marine): 15 (+1)
- 62062 (Maryville): 63 (+2)
- 62067 (Moro): 16
- 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 7
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 24 (+2)
- 62095 (Wood River): 67 (+1)
- 62097 (Worden): 12
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 272 (+3)
- 62249 (Highland): 101 (+7)
- 62294 (Troy): 136 (+3)
- 62281 (St. Jacob): 21 (+1)
62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 11 (+2)
62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 9 (+1)
62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 12
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 3 new positives, 9 new recoveries
Total overall: 462 positives, seven deaths, 6,439 tests administered, 422 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 11
- 62233 (Chester): 150
- 62237 (Coulterville): 19
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 10
- 62242 (Evansville): 10
- 62272 (Willisville, Percy): 59
- 62278 (Red Bud): 56
- 62286 (Sparta): 78
- 62288 (Steeleville): 51
CLINTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 385 positives, 17 deaths, 303 recoveries, 1 hospitalization
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 12 (+4)
- 62216 (Aviston): 19 (+3)
- 62230 (Breese): 43 (+4)
- 62231 (Carlyle): 105 (+8)
- 62245 (Germantown): 19 (+8)
- 62265 (New Baden): 74 (+7)
- 62293 (Trenton): 34 (+4)
- 62801 (Centralia): 102 (+3)
MONROE COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 7 new positives
Total overall: 306 positives, 12 deaths
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 125 (+4)
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 14
- 62298 (Waterloo): 134 (+3)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4:30 p.m.
Total overall: 164 positives, four deaths, 10,890 tests administered with 87 pending results, 54 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62012 (Brighton): 29
62014 (Bunker Hill): 13
62033 (Gillespie): 16
62069 (Mount Olive): 13
- 62088 (Staunton): 17
- 62626 (Carlinville): 31
- 62640 (Girard): 7
- 62690 (Virden): 10 (+2)
PERRY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 3 new positives, 3 new recoveries
Total overall: 149 positives, 1 death, 91 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 10
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 50 (+32)
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 46 (+3)
JERSEY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 98 positives, 2 deaths, 67 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 36
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 3 new positives, 1 new hospitalization
Total overall: 63 positives, 56 recoveries, 4 hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 18
- 62808 (Ashley): 9
- 62848 (Irvington): 7
BOND COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 60 positives, three deaths, 43 recoveries, one hospitalization, 2,742 tests administered
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62246 (Greenville): 42 (+13)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 9 positives, 6 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 Friday afternoon:
- Illinois: 190,508 cases, 7,613 deaths
- U.S.: 5,053,285 cases, 163,203 deaths, 2,583,054 recoveries
- World: 19,400,771 cases, 720,308 deaths, 12,456,409 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 healthcare 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 August 7, 2020 at 4:38 PM.