St. Clair County reports new death from coronavirus as region’s infection rate climbs
The coronavirus has spread to 170 more metro-east residents and another person has died, county leaders announced Tuesday.
The latest virus-related death was in St. Clair County. Officials said a woman in her 90s died. She had underlying health conditions, according to the health department.
Madison County recorded 56 new positive test results Tuesday, and St. Clair County recorded 54. Elsewhere in the metro-east, there were 26 new positives in Clinton County, 16 in Randolph County, 12 in Monroe County and six in Bond County.
The state defines the metro-east region as St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Clinton, Monroe, Bond and Washington counties.
Washington County did not report any change in its numbers Tuesday.
Rate of infection in Southwestern Illinois
A key public health statistic that Illinois officials monitor continues to climb in the metro-east, according to information the state provided Tuesday.
The figure is known as the positivity rate, and it is used to determine whether a region will see stricter restrictions on businesses to help prevent the virus from spreading. It refers to the percentage of coronavirus tests performed that were positive. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has also described it as the infection rate.
The metro-east on Saturday reached its highest positivity rate since the state began releasing that information.
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 Aug. 22 is the latest date information was available Tuesday.
As of Saturday, 9.8% of the tests performed in the metro-east the past week were positive, a higher rate than any other region of the state. The rate was as low as 1.6% in the East Central region that includes Champaign County.
The state has imposed restrictions on metro-east businesses for the past week because of the positivity rate, and the governor said Tuesday that 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 coronavirus briefing that 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 the 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 that indoor service would be banned at metro-east bars and restaurants starting next week.
St. Clair County’s latest rundown
St. Clair County has now recorded a total of 5,503 COVID-19 diagnoses and 174 deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The county announced a daily positivity rate of 6.3% on Tuesday, down from 9.2% on Monday. The daily positivity rate is the percentage of positives from a day’s worth of coronavirus tests.
Officials announced Tuesday that 49 people were receiving treatment in St. Clair County hospitals for COVID-19. Across the region, a total of 101 people were hospitalized, according to St. Clair County leaders.
The newly diagnosed St. Clair County residents ranged in age from under 10 to 80s. The majority were in their 30s or younger.
At nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the county, three new cases of the virus were reported from Caritas Family Solutions in the Belleville region and an additional death was tied to Caseyville Nursing and Rehab.
Madison County by the numbers
Madison County has recorded 3,616 diagnoses and 91 deaths.
The county reported a daily positivity rate of 11.13%.
The latest residents to be diagnosed ranged in age from 10 to 90s. A little more than half of them were in their 40s or younger.
Officials said 32 people were hospitalized in the county, with eight of the patients on ventilators.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,680 new cases of the virus on Tuesday and 29 additional virus-related deaths.
Illinois has recorded a total of 7,917 deaths during the pandemic. A total of 223,470 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Nearly 3.8 million tests have been conducted for COVID-19, with 40,859 specimens tested in the past 24 hours.
As of Monday evening, 1,549 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those patients, 345 were in the ICU and 135 were on ventilators.
The statewide positivity rate from Aug. 18-24 was 4.1%.
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
Tuesday’s new data: 54 positives, 853 tests administered, one death, 68 recoveries
Total overall: 5,503 positives, 174 deaths, 58,477 tests administered, 4,621 recoveries, 49 hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62059 (Brooklyn): 11
- 62201 (East St. Louis): 218 (+3)
- 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 174
- 62204 (East St. Louis): 126
- 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 176 (+1)
- 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 402 (+6)
- 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 224 (+1)
- 62208 (Fairview Heights): 338 (+3)
- 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 435 (+5)
- 62221 (Belleville): 517 (+10)
- 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 314 (+7)
- 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 22
- 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 585 (+8)
- 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 141 (+4)
- 62239 (Dupo): 74
- 62240 (Dupo): 24
- 62243 (Freeburg): 54 (+3)
- 62254 (Lebanon): 183 (+1)
- 62255 (Lenzburg): 14
- 62257 (Marissa): 28
- 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 127 (+4)
- 62260 (Millstadt): 89
- 62264 (New Athens): 79
- 62269 (O’Fallon): 422 (+10)
- 62282 (St. Libory): 7
- 62285 (Smithton): 55 (+1)
MADISON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 56 positives, 503 tests administered, 76 recoveries
Total overall: 3,616 positives, 91 deaths, 53,737 tests administered, 1,686 recoveries, 32 hospitalizations with eight patients on ventilators
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 16 (+1)
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 550 (+9)
- 62010 (Bethalto): 145 (+7)
- 62012 (Godfrey): 15
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 32
- 62021 (Dorsey): 10 (+1)
- 62024 (East Alton): 67 (+6)
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 476 (+5)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 207 (+2)
- 62035 (Godfrey): 196 (+2)
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 582 (+1)
- 62046 (Hamel): 6
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 8
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 94
- 62061 (Marine): 21
- 62062 (Maryville): 82 (+1)
- 62067 (Moro): 35 (+2)
- 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 14
- 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 16
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 29
- 62095 (Wood River): 115
- 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 31 (+1)
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 411 (+9)
- 62249 (Highland): 207 (+6)
- 62275 (Pocahontas): 11 (+1)
- 62281 (St. Jacob): 38
- 62294 (Troy): 175 (+2)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 16 positives
Total overall: 684 positives, eight deaths, 8,443 tests administered, 525 recoveries, two hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 13
- 62233 (Chester): 244 (+16)
- 62237 (Coulterville): 44 (+1)
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 13
- 62242 (Evansville): 14
- 62272 (Willisville, Percy): 61
- 62278 (Red Bud): 90 (+4)
- 62286 (Sparta): 112 (+2)
- 62288 (Steeleville): 88
- 62292 (Tilden): 6
- 62297 (Walsh): 6
- 62916 (Campbell Hill): 8
CLINTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 26 positives
Total overall: 644 positives, 17 deaths, 426 recoveries, two hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 29 (+3)
- 62216 (Aviston): 48 (+2)
- 62218 (Bartelso): 30 (+3)
- 62230 (Breese): 89 (+9)
- 62231 (Carlyle): 156 (+14)
- 62245 (Germantown): 28 (+3)
- 62265 (New Baden): 101 (+4)
- 62293 (Trenton): 81 (+6)
- 62801 (Centralia): 152 (+8)
MONROE COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 12 positives
Total overall: 414 positives, 13 deaths
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 184 (+6)
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 20 (+1)
- 62298 (Waterloo): 190 (+10)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 18 positives
Total overall: 351 positives, four deaths, 14,449 tests administered with 66 results pending, 82 recoveries, two hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 9 (+1)
- 62012 (Brighton): 65 (+2)
62014 (Bunker Hill): 29
62033 (Gillespie): 61 (+9)
62069 (Mount Olive): 25 (+2)
- 62088 (Staunton): 63 (+2)
- 62626 (Carlinville): 39
- 62640 (Girard): 9
- 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 9
- 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 6
- 62690 (Virden): 18
PERRY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: two positives
Total overall: 280 positives, six deaths, 202 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 14
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 135 (+6)
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 75 (+1)
- 62888 (Tamaroa): 17
JERSEY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 18 positives (11 from Tuesday and seven from Monday) and two deaths
Total overall: 246 positives, four deaths, 127 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62022 (Newbern): 14
- 62031 (Fieldon): 9
- 62037 (Grafton): 24 (+1)
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 142 (+12)
BOND COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: six positives
Total overall: 121 positives, three deaths, 5,462 tests administered, two hospitalizations
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62246 (Greenville): 70 (+9)
- 62262 (Mulberry Grove): 8
- 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 39
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: no data released
Total overall: 93 positives, one death, 79 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 7
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 33 (+5)
- 62268 (Oakdale): 7
- 62271 (Okawville): 15 (+1)
- 62808 (Ashley): 9
- 62848 (Irvington): 10 (+1)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: no data released
Total overall: 25 positives, 17 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62047 (Hardin): 6
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: 223,470 cases, 7,917 deaths
- U.S.: 5,755,002 cases, 177,773 deaths, 2,020,774 recoveries
- World: 23,721,008 cases, 814,852 deaths, 15,392,936 recoveries
St. Clair County, Madison County testing sites
The following drive thru test sites will be open to the public this week:
- Wednesday, Aug. 26: Dupo Fire House, 501 Columbia Road in Dupo, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- 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 25, 2020 at 5:45 PM.
