Metro-east positivity rate continues to rise. It remains the highest in Illinois.
The metro-east’s positivity rate continued to rise Tuesday, following a record-setting day of new COVID-19 cases in Illinois’ Region 4 on Monday.
The Illinois Department of Public Health’s website reported a 9.4% seven-day rolling average of positive cases for the metro-east Tuesday, the highest in the state. The rate stood at 8.9% Monday and has steadily increased for nine days in a row.
As of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, 212 new cases were reported in metro-east counties, also known as Region 4. The region includes St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Clinton, Monroe, Washington and Bond counties.
St. Clair County had 78 new cases and Madison County reported 85. Randolph and Monroe both reported 18 cases for a total of 36 and Clinton County reported 13. Washington and Bond counties had not reported information as of 6:30 p.m.
Madison County also reported two new deaths Tuesday, a man and woman who were both in their 80s.
Outside Region 4, nearby Perry County reported 20 new cases Tuesday.
Region 4 saw its third day of increases in hospitalizations. If the region has seven consecutive days of increased hospitalizations, the state could implement more restrictions.
Currently, 35% of the region’s hospital beds and 45% of ICU beds are occupied, according to state health officials. On Monday 33% of hospital beds and 41% of ICU beds were occupied.
Two counties in southwestern Illinois — Clinton and Perry — are at the state’s warning level due to certain metrics of COVID-19 spread. The state puts counties on this warning list for “numerous” indicators including number of deaths, new cases, weekly test positivity, ICU availability and more.
New restrictions in place as positivity rises
Restrictions were put into place in the metro-east Tuesday to try to slow further spread of COVID-19. The new efforts are part of the Restore Illinois plan and went into effect after the region had three days of positivity rates higher than 8%.
Restrictions include closing bars, restaurants, and casinos by 11 p.m., closing party buses and the reduction of gathering sizes to fewer than 25 people or 25% of room capacity.
The measures will remain in effect over a 14-day period. Then the state could implement more stringent restrictions, such as the closing of indoor bars and dining, if needed. The region is on the first of three tiers of mitigation efforts.
St. Clair County’s latest rundown
St. Clair County now has 5,005 coronavirus cases and 160 deaths related to the virus, leading the metro-east in both categories.
The county announced a daily positivity rate of 8.8% on Tuesday, up from 8.3% from Monday. The daily positivity rate is the percentage of positive coronavirus tests that are taken that day.
The county announced Tuesday that 46 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19, with three people on a ventilator.
New cases ranged in age from young people under 10 to people in their 90s. Of the new cases, 31 people were in their 20s or younger.
One new COVID-19 case was reported at a congregate living home at BRIA of Belleville.
St. Clair County saw a double-digit increase in COVID-19 cases in one ZIP code Tuesday: 62223 (Belleville, Swansea: +11 for a total of 269).
Madison County by the numbers
Madison County now has 3,175 coronavirus cases and 87 deaths.
The county reported a three-day positivity rate of 13.39%, up from from 10.87% on Monday, and its seven-day moving average positivity rate of 10.24% is up from 9.54% on Monday.
Cases ranged from young people under 10 to individuals in their 80s
Currently 19 individuals are hospitalized in Madison County and two patients are on ventilators..
One ZIP-code in the county, 62040 , which encompasses Granite City and Pontoon Beach, reported 59 new cases for a total of 540 total cases.)
Illinois surpasses 209,000 COVID cases, more than 7,780 deaths
Meanwhile, the state announced 1,740 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and 27 additional virus-related deaths.
Illinois has had a total of 7,782 deaths during the pandemic, officials reported. A total of 209,594 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. More than 3.4 million people have been tested for COVID-19, with 34,175 specimens tested in the past 24 hours.
The statewide seven-day positivity rate for Aug. 11-17 is 4.3%, up from 4.3% Monday.
As of Monday evening, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,510 people in Illinois are in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those individuals, 335 patients are in the ICU and 128 patients are on ventilators.
Southwestern Illinois COVID-19 statistics
The following are the latest available statistics by county. ZIP-code-level numbers are provided by the state each afternoon at dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics. Madison County compiles its own ZIP code statistics from the state reporting system later in the day, so the numbers may differ from what appears on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website.
The Belleville News-Democrat reports the information Madison County provides. ZIP codes with fewer than five cases of the virus are not reported by health officials. The number in parentheses after each ZIP code below reflects the change from the previous day’s cumulative total. A decrease reflects a correction. All other information comes from local health departments. The “recoveries” figure refers to the number of people who completed the required isolation period in most counties:
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
Tuesday’s new data: 78 new cases, 885 new tests administered, no new deaths, 64 new recoveries
Total overall: 5,005 positives, 160 deaths, 52,111 tests administered, 4,184recoveries, 46 hospitalizations, three patients on ventilators
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62059 (Brooklyn): 10
- 62201 (East St. Louis): 207 (+3)
- 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 168 (+1)
- 62204 (East St. Louis): 126 (+2)
- 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 172
- 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 372 (+3)
- 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 220
- 62208 (Fairview Heights): 320 (+3)
- 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 397 (+4)
- 62221 (Belleville): 458 (+5)
- 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 279 (+10)
- 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 20 (+1)
- 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 530 (+7)
- 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 1 16 (+1)
- 62239 (Dupo): 64 (+4)
- 62240 (Dupo): 19
- 62243 (Freeburg): 40 (+1)
- 62254 (Lebanon): 152 (+1)
- 62255 (Lenzburg): 14
- 62257 (Marissa): 26
- 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 90 (+3)
- 62260 (Millstadt): 85 (+5)
- 62264 (New Athens): 72
- 62269 (O’Fallon): 378 (+9)
- 62285 (Smithton): 49 (+1)
MADISON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 85 new cases, 683 new tests administered, two new deaths
Total overall: 3,175 positives, 87 deaths, 49,438 tests administered, 1,290 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 13 (+2)
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 476 (+22)
- 62010 (Bethalto): 120 (+1)
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 26
- 62021 (Dorsey): 7
- 62024 (East Alton): 53
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 425 (+11)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 193 (+2)
- 62035 (Godfrey): 173 (+5)
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 548 (+8)
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 7
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 88 (+1)
- 62061 (Marine): 20 (+4)
- 62062 (Maryville): 74 (+1)
- 62067 (Moro): 27 (+1)
- 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 11
- 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 12
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 28
- 62095 (Wood River): 91 (+1)
- 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 18 (+2)
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 354
- 62249 (Highland): 159 (+2)
- 62275 (Pocahontas): 9
- 62281 (St. Jacob): 35 (+5)
- 62294 (Troy): 153
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 18 new positives
Total overall: 569 positives, seven deaths, 474 recoveries, 7,345 tests administered, three hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 13
- 62233 (Chester): 170
- 62237 (Coulterville): 35
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 13
- 62242 (Evansville): 14
- 62272 (Willisville, Percy): 61
- 62278 (Red Bud): 70
- 62286 (Sparta): 94
- 62288 (Steeleville): 67
CLINTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 13 new positives
Total overall: 522 positives, 17 deaths, 369 recoveries, one hospitalization
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 18
- 62216 (Aviston): 36
- 62218 (Bartelso): 14
- 62230 (Breese): 62
- 62231 (Carlyle): 126
- 62245 (Germantown): 24
- 62265 (New Baden): 91
- 62293 (Trenton): 58
- 62801 (Centralia): 125
MONROE COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 18 new positives
Total overall: 370 positives, 12 deaths, two hospitalization, 40 individuals in quarantine
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 160
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 15
- 62298 (Waterloo): 160
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 260 positives, four deaths, 12,559 tests administered, two hospitalizations, 63 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 6
- 62012 (Brighton): 57
62014 (Bunker Hill): 15
62033 (Gillespie): 43
62069 (Mount Olive): 15
- 62088 (Staunton): 49
- 62626 (Carlinville): 36
- 62640 (Girard): 7
- 62690 (Virden): 16
- 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 7
PERRY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 20 new positives, one new death
Total overall: 239 positives, four deaths, 126 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 12
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 103
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 60
- 62888 (Tamaroa): 10
JERSEY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 164 positives, two deaths, 95 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62022 (Newbern): 10
- 62037 (Grafton): 14
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 86 (+1)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 76 positives, 62 recoveries, four hospitalizations, one death
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 13
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 22
- 62271 (Okawville): 13
- 62808 (Ashley): 9
- 62848 (Irvington): 8 (+1)
BOND COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 81 positives, three deaths, 3,617 tests administered
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62246 (Greenville): 49
CALHOUN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 15 positives, ten 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: 209,594 cases, 7,782 deaths
- U.S.: 5,455,156 cases, 170,451 deaths, 2,763,139 recoveries
- World: 21,826,342 cases, 773,152 deaths, 13,888,301 recoveries
St. Clair County, Madison County testing sites
Working with Illinois Department of Public Health and Southern Illinois Health Foundation, the St. Clair County Health Department is co-sponsoring the following test sites,with more test sites to be announced
Friday, Aug. 21: Fairview Heights Moody Park from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
No appointment necessary. Masks are required. Tests are free; people should bring their health insurance card if they have one. Testing is for adults and children over 3 years old.
Photo identification required. Tests will be done by throat swab by a medical professional.
Results may take up to a week to receive. Do not call for results. People will be contacted by the St. Clair County Health Department when the results area available.
Madison County is also hosting several test sites.
To view those, visit https://www.bnd.com/news/coronavirus/article244856052.html.
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 18, 2020 at 4:30 PM.