County officials remain hopeful that Illinois will relax COVID-19 restrictions soon

St. Clair County officials seemed relieved at their COVID-19 briefing on Sunday, announcing that the county’s daily positivity rate had dropped to 5.8% Sunday after increasing from 4.5% on Friday to 8.4% on Saturday.

The 8.4% rate had disrupted the county’s momentum after 27 straight days of daily positivity rates below 8%. The 5.8% rate was welcome news.

“We’re doing great,” county Health Department Director Barb Hohlt said at the briefing, which is broadcast live on Facebook at 3:30 p.m each day from Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Belleville. “Keep it up Team St. Clair.”

The county’s seven-day rolling COVID-19 positivity rate average is now 5.9 percent, Hohlt said. County Board Chairman Mark Kern reminded viewers why that’s important.

“I think that’s 11 days now that we’ve been below 6.5 in St. Clair County,” he said. “That’s the number that the state is using or wanting to take a look at to see if we can go back to opening up bars and restaurants to inside dining.”

But St. Clair County is part of a seven-county, metro-east region that the state designated when it toughened coronavirus-related restrictions due to increasing positivity rates. The other six are Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph and Washington. Some of their rates are higher than St. Clair, and some are lower.

According to the most recent state data, the region’s seven-day rolling positivity rate average was 6.9% on Sept. 23, representing a drop from 8.4 percent on Sept. 14.

St. Clair County’s latest rundown

Hohlt reported 49 new COVID-19 cases in St. Clair County on Sunday for a total of 7,357 since the pandemic hit in mid-March. There were no additions to the county’s death toll of 189.

The 49 male and female patients range from under 10 to 90 years old. Hohlt reported no new cases at congregate or long-term-care facilities.

Some 49 people are hospitalized with the coronavirus in St. Clair County, up from 44 on Saturday but down from 55 on Friday. Five are on ventilators, three fewer than Saturday.

Madison County by the numbers

The Madison County Health Department reported 70 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday for a total of 5,716 since the pandemic hit. The age range is the same as in St. Clair County. There were no additions to the death toll of 136.

The county’s daily positivity rate went from 7.35% on Saturday to 8.36% on Sunday. The seven-day rolling positivity rate average increased slightly, from 7.37% to 7.45%.

Some 20 patients are hospitalized with the coronavirus in Madison County, including one on a ventilator.

Illinois reports new cases, deaths

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,604 new COVID-19 cases and 13 additional deaths on Sunday.

A total of 287,930 state residents have tested positive, and 8,601 people have died since the pandemic hit. Some 5,479,510 coronavirus tests have been administered.

As of Friday evening, when the latest data was available, 1,597 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19. According to IDPH, 355 of those patients were in intensive care units, including 141 on ventilators.

The statewide seven-day rolling positivity rate average from Sept. 19-25 was 3.6%.

Southwestern Illinois COVID-19 statistics

ZIP code-level numbers 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 IDPH website.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports the information county health departments provide.

ZIP codes with fewer than five cases of the coronavirus 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

Sunday’s data: 49 new positives, no new deaths, no new cases in congregate or long-term care, 49 coronavirus patients hospitalized, including five on ventilators.

Total overall: 7,357 positives, 189 deaths, 86,753 tests administered.

Positivity rate as of Sunday: Daily, 5.8%; 7-day rolling average, 5.9%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62059 (Brooklyn): 16 (+0)

• 62201 (East St. Louis): 246 (+3)

• 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 210 (+1)

• 62204 (East St. Louis): 143 (+1)

• 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 208 (+0)

• 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 449 (+2)

• 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 251 (+0)

• 62208 (Fairview Heights): 439 (+3)

• 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 576 (+1)

• 62221 (Belleville): 686 (+3)

• 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 436 (+3)

• 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 31 (+0)

• 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 758 (+6)

• 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 196 (+0)

• 62239 (Dupo): 116 (+1)

• 62240 (Dupo): 35 (+0)

• 62243 (Freeburg): 109 (+1)

• 62254 (Lebanon): 273 (+3)

• 62255 (Lenzburg): 16 (+0)

• 62257 (Marissa): 35 (+0)

• 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 192 (+1)

• 62260 (Millstadt): 147 (+1)

• 62264 (New Athens): 107 (+0)

• 62269 (O’Fallon): 572 (+3)

• 62282 (St. Libory): 13 (+0)

• 62285 (Smithton): 118 (+0)

• 62289 (Summerfield): 6 (+0)

MADISON COUNTY

Sunday’s data: 70 new positives, no new deaths, 20 hospitalizations with one patient on a ventilator

Total overall: 5,716 positives, 136 deaths, 79,956 tests administered, 2,952 recoveries

Positivity rates as of Sunday: Daily, 8.36%; seven-day rolling average, 7.45%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 26 (+0)
• 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 856 (+3)
• 62010 (Bethalto): 252 (+1)
• 62012 (Godfrey): 15 (+0)
  
  
• 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 67 (+0)
• 62021 (Dorsey): 14 (+0)
• 62024 (East Alton): 145 (+0)
• 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 731 (+19)
• 62034 (Glen Carbon): 298 (+5)
• 62035 (Godfrey): 447 (+3)
• 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 847 (+12)
• 62046 (Hamel): 15 (+0)
• 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 17 (+1)
• 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 127 (+4)
• 62061 (Marine): 35 (+0)
• 62062 (Maryville): 118 (+1)
• 62067 (Moro): 57(+0)

• 62074 (New Douglas): 11 (+0)

• 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 30 (+1)
• 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 27 (+0)
• 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 8 (+1)
• 62090 (Madison, Venice): 31 (+0)
• 62095 (Wood River): 189 (+2)
• 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 51 (+0)
• 62201: (East St. Louis, Sauget, Fairmont City, Madison, National City): 6 (+0)
• 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 584 (+3)
• 62249 (Highland): 342 (+8)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 21 (+0)

• 62281 (St. Jacob): 58 (+2)

• 62293: (St. Morgan): 8 (+0)

• 62294 (Troy): 253 (+3)

CLINTON COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 1,143 positives, 20 deaths, 927 recoveries, seven hospitalizations

Positivity rate as of Sept. 23: Daily, 8.3%; 7-day rolling average, 12.7%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 50

• 62216 (Aviston): 114

• 62218 (Bartelso): 73

• 62230 (Breese): 199

• 62231 (Carlyle): 224

• 62245 (Germantown): 55

• 62265 (New Baden): 122

• 62293 (Trenton): 110

• 62801 (Centralia): 316

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 945 positives, 11 deaths, 12,220 tests administered, 888 recoveries

Positivity rate as of Sept. 23: Daily, 2%; 7-day rolling average, 2.9%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62217 (Baldwin): 17
• 62233 (Chester): 349
• 62237 (Coulterville): 63
• 62241 (Ellis Grove): 24
• 62242 (Evansville): 24
• 62272 (Percy): 64
• 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 10
• 62278 (Red Bud): 146
• 62286 (Sparta): 158
• 62288 (Steeleville): 100
• 62292 (Tilden): six
• 62297 (Walsh): six
• 62916 (Campbell Hill): 15

MONROE COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 658 positives, 15 deaths

Positivity rate as of Sept. 23: Daily, 8.3%; 7-day rolling average, 6.7%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62236 (Columbia): 254 (+1)
• 62244 (Fults): seven
• 62295 (Valmeyer): 29
• 62298 (Waterloo): 323 (+2)

BOND COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 318 positives, six deaths, 14,498 tests administered, two hospitalizations

Positivity rate as of Sept. 23: Daily, 12.5%; 7-day rolling average, 12.9%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62086 (Sorento): 12

• 62246 (Greenville): 200 (+7)

• 62262 (Mulberry Grove): 23 (+2)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 75 (-1)

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 210 positives, one death, 170 recoveries

Positivity rate as of Sept. 23: Daily, 15.6%; 7-day rolling average, 12%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 15
• 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 83
• 62268 (Oakdale): 11
• 62271 (Okawville): 29
• 62808 (Ashley): 17
• 62848 (Irvington): 17

MACOUPIN COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 555 positives, nine deaths, 241 recoveries, four hospitalizations

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 11
• 62012 (Brighton): 118 (+1)
• 62014 (Bunker Hill): 41

• 62033 (Gillespie): 94 (+4)

• 62063 (Medora, Summerville, Kemper, Rockbridge): 8

• 62069 (Mount Olive): 32

• 62088 (Staunton): 104 (+4)
• 62626 (Carlinville): 66 (+1)
• 62640 (Girard): 15
• 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 15
• 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 15
  
  
• 62690 (Virden): 30

JERSEY COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 382 positives, 14 deaths, 310 recoveries, 5,963 tests administered

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62022 (Newbern): 22 (+1)
• 62028 (Elsah): eight
• 62031 (Fieldon): 10
• 62037 (Grafton): 33
• 62052 (Jerseyville): 249

PERRY COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 344 positives, 16 deaths, 309 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62238 (Cutler): 15
• 62274 (Pinckneyville): 160
• 62832 (Du Quoin): 107
• 62888 (Tamaroa): 27
• 62997 (Willisville): eight

CALHOUN COUNTY

Sunday: No new data

Total overall: 59 positives, 35 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62036 (Golden Eagle): seven
• 62047 (Hardin): 13

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 Saturday afternoon:

• Illinois: 287,930 cases, 8,601 deaths, 5,479,510 tests

• U.S.: 7,101,774 cases, 204,618 deaths, 2,750,459 recoveries

• World: 32,938,616 cases, 995,465 deaths, 22,782,724 recoveries

Testing sites in southwestern Illinois

The St. Clair County Health Department has announced free COVID-19 testing in the following locations this week:

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Sept. 28-30 and Oct. 2: 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. at St. Elizabeth’s Urgicare, 1512 N. Greenmount Road in O’Fallon (need appointment).

• Tuesday, Sept. 29: 9 a.m. to noon at Alhambra Township Park, South Alhambra Road in Alhambra.

• Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 29-30: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Southwestern Illinois College, 2500 Carlyle Ave. in Belleville.

• Thursday, Oct. 1: 9 a.m. to noon at America’s Central Port, 1635 W. First St. in Granite City.

• Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2-3: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Korte Stadium, 3345 Stadium Road at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

No appointment is necessary unless indicated. Masks are required unless indicated. It may take up to a week to receive results. Do not call for results. The St. Clair County Health Department will call when results are available.

The IDPH also offers free walk-up and drive-thru COVID-19 testing seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (or until capacity limits are met each day) at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, Argonne Drive in East St. Louis (Interstate 64 west, exit 4A).

Capacity is limited. Hours of operation are subject to change based on available equipment. For more information, visit http://dph.illinois.gov/testing.

Additionally, Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation offer daily testing in Belleville and Wood River. Call 618-646-2596 for an appointment.

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:

• 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 September 27, 2020 at 7:59 PM.