COVID-19 positivity rate climbs to 10% for Region 4 in southwestern Illinois
The daily positivity rate for Metro-East Region 4 in southwestern Illinois increased again, according to the latest available information.
As of Sunday, Region 4 had a positivity rate of 9.7%, but that figure rose to 10% on Monday. The Illinois Department of Public Health has provided the rate since June 26 at dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics.
Information on the website is delayed by three days, so Monday is the latest date information was available for Thursday.
The state’s COVID-19 positivity rate also rose slightly. The seven-day rolling average positivity rate for tests completed went from 4% on Wednesday to 4.1% on Thursday. That’s for the period of Aug. 20-26.
Meanwhile, the metro-east region reported 175 new coronavirus cases Thursday but no new deaths. The state defines the metro-east region as St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Clinton, Monroe, Bond and Washington counties.
St. Clair County reported 68 new positive test results, up from 46 on Thursday. Madison County, meanwhile, reported 55 new cases Thursday, down from 59 on Wednesday.
Additionally, Monroe County had another double digit day, reporting 14 new cases, bringing its total to 37 new cases since Tuesday.
“The increase in recent numbers is partially due to two small outbreaks currently going on, one in a church and the other in a daycare (staff only, no children as of today),” Monroe County Health Department Administrator John Wagner said Thursday. “We will continue to monitor to determine if this is a sustained increase or solely due to the outbreaks.”
Elsewhere in Region 4 on Thursday, Clinton County reported 17 new cases, Randolph County reported 16 new cases and Bond County reported five new cases. Washington County did not report any new data.
Currently, 28% of the region’s hospital beds and 40% of the ICU beds are available, according to state health officials.
Outside Region 4 on Thursday, nearby Macoupin County reported 12 new cases and one new death — a woman in her 70s. It is unknown if she had underlying health conditions. That brings that county’s death total from the virus to five.
Jersey County reported eight new cases and one new death as well, but no additional information was available. That brings the county’s death total to five. Additionally, Perry County reported six new cases Thursday.
Rate of infection, jobless rate in Southwestern Illinois
The state has imposed restrictions on metro-east businesses for the past week because of the high positivity rate, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday more rules are coming Sept. 2.
One of the restrictions that started Aug. 18 was that bars, restaurants and casinos close at 11 p.m.
St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said Tuesday in the county’s daily COVID-19 briefing some businesses found a loophole to that rule.
“There are some that are cheating, and they’re the ones that are hurting the numbers,” Kern said during Tuesday’s briefing. “Specifically, we had liquor establishments that said, ‘Well, we’re gonna close at 11, but we’re gonna open at 12:01.’ They may think that’s smart, but it isn’t.
“These rules were put in place because we’re trying to slow the spread of this virus, and to get out there and try to find loopholes just to make a few bucks is really a sad thing.”
Pritzker said in a public appearance Tuesday indoor service would be banned at metro-east bars and restaurants starting next week.
On a related topic, COVID-19 also is having a negative impact on the metro-east region’s economy. According to a story from Capitol News Illinois on Thursday, the state reported Thursday the jobless rate for the metro-east region was 9.4%.
The Rockford area had the highest rate, at 13.8% while the Champaign-Urbana region had the lowest at 7.9%. Overall, the statewide jobless rate in Illinois was 11.3% in July, up from 4.2% a year earlier, CNI reported.
St. Clair County’s latest rundown
St. Clair County has now recorded a total of 5,617 COVID-19 diagnoses and 174 deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began.
The county announced a daily positivity rate of 8% on Thursday, up from 7.1% on Wednesday. The daily positivity rate is the percentage of positives from a day’s worth of coronavirus tests.
Officials announced Thursday that 47 people were receiving treatment in St. Clair County hospitals for COVID-19, with one of those individuals on ventilators. Across the region, a total of 88 people were hospitalized with eight of those individuals on ventilators, according to St. Clair County leaders. All four of those hospital metrics are down from Wednesday.
The newly diagnosed St. Clair County residents ranged in age from under 10 to people in their 80s. No additional information was immediately available.
At nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the county, only Caseyville Nursing & Rehabilitation saw an increase — just one case.
St. Clair County saw just one double-digit increase in COVID-19 cases in any of its zip codes — 62221 (Belleville: +12 for a total of 535).
“The regional positivity rate is creeping up there slowly every day. We’ve got to get that down. We’ve got a few more days before Sept. 1, so we’re not going to take our foot off the gas,” Herb Simmons, executive director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, said during Thursday’s briefing.
Madison County by the numbers
Madison County has recorded 3,730 diagnoses and 93 deaths.
The county reported a daily positivity rate of 13.13% on Thursday, up from 12.24% on Wednesday. The county’s three-day positivity rate dropped from 12.39% to 12.11%, but its seven-day moving average positivity rate rose from 10.27% to 11.16%.
The latest residents to be diagnosed ranged in age from under 10 to in their 70s. Of the 55 new cases, 29 of them were in their 40s or younger.
Additionally, officials said 33 people were hospitalized in the county, up from 23 on Wednesday. Also, officials reported nine patients were on ventilators as of Thursday, up from seven on Wednesday.
Madison County saw a double-digit increase in COVID-19 cases in two ZIP codes Wednesday: 62035 (Godfrey: +13 for a total of 212); and 62249 (Highland: +13 for a total of 221).
Illinois reports new cases, deaths
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,707 new cases of the virus on Thursday and 24 additional virus-related deaths.
Illinois has recorded a total of 7,977 deaths during the pandemic. A total of 227,334 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Nearly 3.9 million tests have been conducted for COVID-19, with 44,510 specimens tested in the past 24 hours.
As of Wednesday evening, 1,631 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those patients, 390 were in the ICU — up from 350 on Wednesday — and 151 were on ventilators — up from 133 on Wednesday.
The statewide positivity rate from Aug. 20-26 was 4.1%, up slightly from 4.0% on Wednesday.
Southwestern Illinois COVID-19 statistics
ZIP-code-level numbers below are provided by the state each afternoon at dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics. Madison and Macoupin counties compile their own statistics by ZIP code 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 county health departments provide.
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:
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 68 positives, 849 tests administered, 66 recoveries, seven fewer hospitalizations, two fewer people on a ventilator
Total overall: 5,617 positives, 174 deaths, 59,976 tests administered, 4,753 recoveries, 47 hospitalizations, one person on a ventilator
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62059 (Brooklyn): 11
- 62201 (East St. Louis): 220 (+2)
- 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 175 (+1)
- 62204 (East St. Louis): 127 (+1)
- 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 176
- 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 402
- 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 226 (+2)
- 62208 (Fairview Heights): 341 (+2)
- 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 440 (+2)
- 62221 (Belleville): 535 (+12)
- 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 318 (+3)
- 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 22
- 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 594 (+4)
- 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 142 (+1)
- 62239 (Dupo): 75 (+1)
- 62240 (Dupo): 25 (+1)
- 62243 (Freeburg): 69 (+1)
- 62254 (Lebanon): 191 (+6)
- 62255 (Lenzburg): 15
- 62257 (Marissa): 31 (+2)
- 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 126
- 62260 (Millstadt): 91 (+2)
- 62264 (New Athens): 81 (+3)
- 62269 (O’Fallon): 430 (+5)
- 62282 (St. Libory): 7
- 62285 (Smithton): 58 (+2)
MADISON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 55 positives, 419 tests, 16 recoveries
Total overall: 3,730 positives, 93 deaths, 54,638 tests administered, 1,713 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 176 (-1)
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 562 (-5)
- 62010 (Bethalto): 156 (+6)
- 62012 (Godfrey): 15
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 33
- 62021 (Dorsey): 10
- 62024 (East Alton): 71 (+2)
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 492 (+7)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 209
- 62035 (Godfrey): 212 (+13)
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 587 (+6)
- 62046 (Hamel): 6
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 8
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 96 (+1)
- 62061 (Marine): 23
- 62062 (Maryville): 84
- 62067 (Moro): 36 (+3)
- 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 14
- 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 18 (+2)
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 29
- 62095 (Wood River): 121 (+2)
- 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 33 (+1)
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 423 (+4)
- 62249 (Highland): 221 (+13)
- 62281 (St. Jacob): 40
- 62294 (Troy): 176
62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 13 (+1)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 16 positives, 133 tests administered, 14 recoveries
Total overall: 708 positives, eight deaths, 8,661 tests administered, 552 recoveries, two hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 13
- 62233 (Chester): 256 (+7)
- 62237 (Coulterville): 48 (+2)
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 13
- 62242 (Evansville): 14
- 62272 (Willisville, Percy): 61
- 62278 (Red Bud): 96 (+5)
- 62286 (Sparta): 117 (+5)
- 62288 (Steeleville): 92 (+4)
- 62292 (Tilden): 6
- 62297 (Walsh): 6
- 62916 (Campbell Hill): 9 (+1)
CLINTON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 17 positives, 14 recoveries
Total overall: 681 positives, 17 deaths, 442 recoveries, two hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 29
- 62216 (Aviston): 55 (+4)
- 62218 (Bartelso): 32
- 62230 (Breese): 91 (+1)
- 62231 (Carlyle): 161 (+5)
- 62245 (Germantown): 29
- 62265 (New Baden): 103 (+2)
- 62293 (Trenton): 83 (+1)
- 62801 (Centralia): 167 (+11)
MONROE COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 14 positives
Total overall: 439 positives, 13 deaths
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 189 (-1)
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 20
- 62298 (Waterloo): 206 (+8)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 12 positives, one death, 155 tests administered, eight recoveries, two hospitalizations
Total overall: 371 positives, five deaths, 14,733 tests administered with 32 results pending, 93 recoveries, four hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 9
- 62012 (Brighton): 66
62014 (Bunker Hill): 34 (+3)
62033 (Gillespie): 61
62069 (Mount Olive): 26 (+1)
- 62088 (Staunton): 66 (+2)
- 62626 (Carlinville): 42 (+1)
- 62640 (Girard): 10 (+1)
- 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 10 (+1)
- 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 8 (+1)
- 62690 (Virden): 19
PERRY COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: Six positives, five recoveries
Total overall: 284 positives, eight deaths, 215 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 13
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 140 (+2)
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 80 (+3)
- 62888 (Tamaroa): 19 (+2)
JERSEY COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: Eight positives, one death
Total overall: 259 positives, five deaths, 127 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62022 (Newbern): 14
- 62031 (Fieldon): 9
- 62037 (Grafton): 26 (+1)
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 157 (+13)
BOND COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: Five positives, 76 tests administered
Total overall: 128 positives, three deaths, 5,519 tests administered, two hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62246 (Greenville): 73 (+2)
- 62262 (Mulberry Grove): 9 (+1)
- 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 42 (+1)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: No data released
Total overall: 102 positives, one death, 84 recoveries, four hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 7
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 36 (+3)
- 62268 (Oakdale): 7
- 62271 (Okawville): 15
- 62808 (Ashley): 10 (+1)
- 62848 (Irvington): 10
CALHOUN COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: No data released as of 5 p.m.
Total overall: 27 positives, 17 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62047 (Hardin): 8 (+2)
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 Thursday afternoon:
- Illinois: 227,334 cases, 7,977 deaths
- U.S.: 6,010,322 cases, 183,913 deaths, 3,315,079 recoveries
- World: 24,402,972 cases, 831,039 deaths, 16,926,223 recoveries
St. Clair County, Madison County testing sites
The following drive thru test sites will be open to the public this week:
- Friday, Aug. 28: Chamber of Commerce of Southwestern Madison County, 3600 Nameoki Road in Granite City, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 29, & Sunday, Aug. 30: St. Clair Square mall by the water tower from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
- Saturday, Aug. 29: Store Co. Self Storage, 1401 Vaughn Road in Wood River, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 30: Madison County Administration building back parking lot, 157 N. Main St. in Edwardsville, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
No appointment is necessary. Masks are required.
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 27, 2020 at 5:40 PM.