St. Clair County asks Illinois officials to ease restaurant, bar restrictions in county

St. Clair County saw its daily COVID-19 positivity rate rise Monday, while reporting 69 new cases and one new death.

The daily positivity rate rose from 5.8% on Sunday to 8.4% on Monday. However, the county’s seven-day rolling average released Monday was at 6.1%, marking 12-straight days of being under 6.5%.

St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern was pleased with the county’s numbers. But, during Monday’s daily briefing, he expressed frustration with the Illinois Department of Public Health and other counties in Region 4 over the fact St. Clair County is still under restrictions despite consistently improving and steady numbers.

The state defines the metro-east, or Region 4, as St. Clair, Madison, Clinton, Randolph, Monroe, Bond and Washington counties. If the region reaches the state’s 6.5% positivity rate threshold, some restrictions may be lifted, according to the state’s Rebuild Illinois plan. As of Monday, the region was still above that figure.

“I think the IDPH needs to take a look at this region,” Kern said. “We’re large enough, with 270,000 people, they can a look at those numbers and really drill into them and look at the accurate numbers. We are team players. We understand the regional concept that we’re all stronger together.

“But when other parts of the region are not complying with the governor’s asks then I think there needs to be an exception that’s made for a county that is complying and whose numbers are reaching those areas to allow businesses to at least go back to where they were a month ago.”

Kern added, as things stand, county residents essentially are being forced to travel across the river where COVID-19 positivity rates are much higher.

“And that just isn’t the right thing to do,” he said. “Missouri’s numbers are higher than ours and, yet ... customers who normally who would be patronizing restaurants and businesses here, we’re kind of forcing them to go to places not as safe as St. Clair County.”

St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons noted the county drafted another letter to the IDPH on Monday explaining the county’s numbers.

“If we could all get on a fair playing field, we could get this thing behind us,” Simmons said. “Everybody wants to go out and get dinner. Our concern is the cooler weather is going to start coming on. We’ve got to get this thing under control, because nobody’s going to want to go outside and sit outside and eat dinner or lunch. We’ve sent emails on and off and on to IDPH, as recently as this afternoon, and we’ll see if we can get a response on that.”

Regional 4 positivity rates

As for Region 4, the state reported the rolling seven-day average positivity rate rose slightly from 6.9% on Sunday to 7.1% on Monday. Still, this marked the ninth day in a row the region’s rate has been below 8%.

The daily positivity rate for Region 4 rose from 6.8% on Sunday to 8.9% on Monday. Illinois provides the rate for each region at dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics. Information on the website is delayed by three days, so Friday, Sept. 25, was the latest data available Thursday.

Monday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4

Overall, 234 new cases of COVID-19 and seven new deaths were reported in the region Monday. For some counties, this included total data from the weekend, and not just from Monday. For each county, that distinction is noted.

Madison County reported 61 new cases and four new deaths Monday, bringing the county’s death total to 140 since the pandemic began. The four individuals who died were all women in their 90s; it is unknown if any of them had underlying health conditions.

As noted, St. Clair County reported 69 new cases and one new death — a man in his 70s with unknown health conditions. That brings the county’s death total to 190 since the pandemic began.

Elsewhere in Region 4 on Monday, Clinton County reported 60 new cases of COVID-19 from Sept. 26-28, Monroe County reported 21 new cases, and Bond County reported 10 new cases and one new death from Sept. 26-28. No additional information was immediately available on the person who died.

Additionally, Washington County reported 10 new cases from Sept. 25-28. For Sept. 27-28, Randolph County reported nine new cases and one new death, bringing the county’s death total to 12 since the pandemic began. No additional information was immediately available on the individual who died.

According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, regionally, 34% of the metro-east’s hospital beds were available Monday, while 44% of the ICU beds were available.

Regionally, as of Monday, 87 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 10 of those patients on ventilators.

Outside of Region 4 on Monday, nearby Perry County reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 from Sept. 25-28, Macoupin County reported 10 new cases, Calhoun County reported two new cases and Jersey County reported one new case.

St. Clair County’s latest rundown

St. Clair County has now reported a total of 7,426 positive cases and 190 deaths.

St. Clair County reported 49 hospitalizations — the same as Sunday. There were six patients on ventilators as of Monday, up from five Sunday.

At congregate living centers in St. Clair County, Integrity Healthcare of Smithton reported one new death Monday. No other congregate living centers in St. Clair County reported new cases or deaths Monday, according to county health officials.

The county’s new cases included young people under 10 to individuals in their 80s. Of the 69 new cases reported by the county, 45 of the individuals were in their 40s or younger. One county ZIP code reported a double digit increase Monday — 62221, Belleville: +11 for a total of 697.

Madison County by the numbers

Madison County has reported a total of 5,777 cases and 140 deaths as of Monday.

As of Monday, 16 COVID-19 patients were in Madison County hospitals, down from 20 on Monday. Three of those patients were on ventilators, up from one Sunday.

The county’s daily positivity rate dropped from 8.36% on Sunday to 8.14% on Monday. The seven-day rolling positivity rate average dropped from 7.45% on Sunday to 7.36% on Monday.

Individuals diagnosed with the virus Monday ranged in age from under 10 to their 90s, and of the 61 new cases, 46 were people in their 40s or younger.

One county ZIP code reported a double digit increase Monday — 62025 Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Roxana: +18 for a total of 749.

Illinois reports new cases, deaths

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,709 new COVID-19 cases and 13 additional deaths Monday.

A total of 289,639 state residents have tested positive, and 8,614 people have died since the pandemic hit. More than 5.5 million coronavirus tests have been administered, including 41,142 since Sunday.

As of Sunday evening, when the latest data was available, 1,491 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19. According to IDPH, 346 of those patients were in intensive care units, including 135 on ventilators. All three of those numbers dropped from Sunday.

The statewide seven-day rolling positivity rate average from Sept. 21-27 was 3.7%, up slightly from 3.6% the day prior.

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

Monday’s new data: 69 new positives, one new death, 825 new tests administered, one additional person on a ventilator

Total overall: 7,426 positives, 190 deaths, 87,578 tests administered, 6,724 recoveries, 49 patients hospitalized, including five on ventilators

Positivity rate as of Sept. 25: Daily, 8.4%; seven-day rolling average, 6.1%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62059 (Brooklyn): 16

• 62201 (East St. Louis): 245 (-1)

• 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 214 (+4)

• 62204 (East St. Louis): 145 (+2)

• 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 212 (+4)

• 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 450 (+1)

• 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 254 (+3)

• 62208 (Fairview Heights): 441 (+2)

• 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 580 (+4)

• 62221 (Belleville): 697 (+11)

• 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 440 (+4)

• 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 31

• 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 764 (+6)

• 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 196

• 62239 (Dupo): 119 (+3)

• 62240 (Dupo): 35

• 62243 (Freeburg): 112 (+3)

• 62254 (Lebanon): 273

• 62255 (Lenzburg): 16

• 62257 (Marissa): 35

• 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 192

• 62260 (Millstadt): 150 (+3)

• 62264 (New Athens): 107

• 62269 (O’Fallon): 574 (+2)

• 62282 (St. Libory): 13

• 62285 (Smithton): 118

• 62289 (Summerfield): 6

MADISON COUNTY

Sunday’s data: 61 new positives, four new deaths, 749 new tests administered, 27 new recoveries

Total overall: 5,777 positives, 140 deaths, 76,705 tests administered, 2,979 recoveries

Positivity rates as of Sept. 25: Daily, 10.8%; seven-day rolling average, 7.6%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 27 (+1)
• 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 862 (+6)
• 62010 (Bethalto): 254 (+2)
• 62012 (Godfrey): 15
  
  
• 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 67
• 62021 (Dorsey): 14
• 62024 (East Alton): 145
• 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 749 (+18)
• 62034 (Glen Carbon): 300 (+2)
• 62035 (Godfrey): 450 (+3)
• 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 850 (+3)
• 62046 (Hamel): 17 (+2)
• 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 17
• 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 127
• 62061 (Marine): 35
• 62062 (Maryville): 120 (+2)
• 62067 (Moro): 57

• 62074 (New Douglas): 12 (+1)

• 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 30
• 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 27
• 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 8
• 62090 (Madison, Venice): 31
• 62095 (Wood River): 193 (+4)
• 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 51
• 62201: (East St. Louis, Sauget, Fairmont City, Madison, National City): 6
• 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 592 (+8)
• 62249 (Highland): 346 (+4)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 22 (+1)

• 62281 (St. Jacob): 58

• 62293: (St. Morgan): 8

• 62294 (Troy): 256 (+3)

CLINTON COUNTY

Monday’s new data (from Sept. 26-28): 60 new positives, 73 new recoveries

Total overall: 1,203 positives, 20 deaths, 1,000 recoveries, seven hospitalizations

Positivity rate as of Sept. 25: Daily, 16.9%; seven-day rolling average, 12.9%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 54 (+4)

• 62216 (Aviston): 120 (+6)

• 62218 (Bartelso): 81 (+8)

• 62230 (Breese): 223 (+24)

• 62231 (Carlyle): 241 (+17)

• 62245 (Germantown): 56 (+1)

• 62265 (New Baden): 130 (+8)

• 62293 (Trenton): 114 (+4)

• 62801 (Centralia): 341 (+25)

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Monday’s new data (from Sept. 27-28): Nine new positives, one new death, 259 new tests administered, 10 new recoveries

Total overall: 957 positives, 12 deaths, 12,609 tests administered, 902 recoveries

Positivity rate as of Sept. 25: Daily, 2.4%; seven-day rolling average, 2%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62217 (Baldwin): 17
• 62233 (Chester): 355
• 62237 (Coulterville): 63
• 62241 (Ellis Grove): 24
• 62242 (Evansville): 23
• 62272 (Percy): 64
• 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 11
• 62278 (Red Bud): 148
• 62286 (Sparta): 161
• 62288 (Steeleville): 101
• 62292 (Tilden): 6
• 62297 (Walsh): 6
• 62916 (Campbell Hill): 15

MONROE COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 21 new positives

Total overall: 680 positives, 16 deaths

Positivity rate as of Sept. 25: Daily, 6.9%; seven-day rolling average, 8.5%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62236 (Columbia): 269
• 62244 (Fults): 7
• 62295 (Valmeyer): 29
• 62298 (Waterloo): 347

BOND COUNTY

Monday’s new data (from Sept. 26-28): 10 new positives, one new death, 1,411 new tests adminsitered, one fewer hospitalization

Total overall: 328 positives, seven deaths, 15,909 tests administered, one hospitalizations

Positivity rate as of Sept. 25: Daily, 8.0%; seven-day rolling average, 8.9%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62086 (Sorento): 13 (+1)

• 62246 (Greenville): 218

• 62262 (Mulberry Grove): 26 (+2)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 78 (+3)

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Monday’s new data (from Sept. 25-28): 10 new positives

Total overall: 216 positives, one death, 193 recoveries

Positivity rate as of Sept. 25: Daily, 8.1%; seven-day rolling average, 11.5%

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 15
• 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 94
• 62268 (Oakdale): 12
• 62271 (Okawville): 30
• 62808 (Ashley): 18
• 62848 (Irvington): 17

MACOUPIN COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 10 new positives, seven new recoveries

Total overall: 584 positives, nine deaths, 269 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 14
• 62012 (Brighton): 120
• 62014 (Bunker Hill): 42

• 62033 (Gillespie): 105

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

• 62069 (Mount Olive): 34

• 62088 (Staunton): 108
• 62626 (Carlinville): 67
• 62640 (Girard): 16
• 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 16
• 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 15
  
  
• 62690 (Virden): 31

JERSEY COUNTY

Monday’s new data: One new positive

Total overall: 396 positives, 15 deaths, 354 recoveries, 6,304 tests administered

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62022 (Newbern): 22
• 62028 (Elsah): 8
• 62031 (Fieldon): 10
• 62037 (Grafton): 33
• 62052 (Jerseyville): 256

PERRY COUNTY

Monday’s new data (from Sept. 25-28): 12 new positives, three new recoveries

Total overall: 356 positives, 16 deaths, 312 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62238 (Cutler): 15
• 62274 (Pinckneyville): 165
• 62832 (Du Quoin): 108
• 62888 (Tamaroa): 31
• 62997 (Willisville): 8

CALHOUN COUNTY

Monday’s new data: Two new positives, four new recoveries

Total overall: 63 positives, 39 recoveries

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62036 (Golden Eagle): 8
• 62047 (Hardin): 18

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 Monday afternoon:

• Illinois: 289,639 cases, 8,614 deaths, 5,520,652 tests

• U.S.: 7,328,926 cases, 209,526 deaths, 4,572,940 recoveries

• World: 33,393,311 cases, 1,003,567 deaths, 24,697,019 recoveries

Testing sites in southwestern Illinois

These are free COVID-19 testing options in the following locations this week:

• Tuesday, Sept. 29: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Clinton County Fairgrounds, 1899 Methodist St., Carlyle.

• Tuesday, Sept. 29; Wednesday, Sept. 30; and Friday, Oct. 2: 8 a.m. to noon and 1-4:30 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, Sept. 29, and Wednesday, Sept. 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, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 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 28, 2020 at 5:24 PM.