Metro-east loses ground in fight to loosen COVID-19 restrictions, positivity rate grows
St. Clair County officials continued to call on neighboring counties to help slow the spread of COVID-19 Thursday, in the wake of the metro-east losing more ground in its pursuit to shake off state-implemented restrictions.
The metro-east, which the state defines as Region 4, saw its positivity rate grow from 7.4% Wednesday to 7.5% Thursday. The region’s seven-day rolling average has been steadily rising since last Friday when the rate reached 6.9%. Thursday marked the fourth consecutive day the rate increased.
The daily positivity rate for Region 4 increased from 7.4% on Wednesday to 7.5% on Thursday. Illinois provides the rate for each region at dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics. Information on the website is delayed by three days, so Monday, Sept. 28, was the latest data available Thursday.
St. Clair County has consistently outperformed the rest of the region in its efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. The sseven-day positivity rate released Thursday for St. Clair County, for example, was 6.5%, a full percentage point better than the region average.
During a live daily briefing on COVID-19, St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern and Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons called on neighboring counties to follow the state-implemented rules. They said counties that aren’t following the rules are holding the region back from reopening fully.
“The regional positivity isn’t where it needs to be,” Kern said. “We have to continue to work on these mitigations.”
The metro-east, or Region 4, includes St. Clair, Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph and Washington counties.
Simmons said following the mitigation rules isn’t just about opening up the region, but more importantly, it’s about public safety. He said other counties need to do their part to even the playing field for the entire region.
Region 4 is in the first tier of restrictions in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois plan. The restrictions limit indoor service at bars and restaurants as well as the size of social gatherings.
State officials say they would ease those restrictions if the seven-county region that includes St. Clair County has three consecutive days with a seven-day rolling positivity rate average of 6.5% or less.
Kern said the current restrictions on the metro-east are causing many St. Clair County business owners to make tough decisions as cold weather approaches.
“There are businesses right now that are deciding whether they are going to go out of business or stick it out,” Kern said. “Cold weather is coming, and it’s hard to have activity during that.”
Thursday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4
Overall, 147 new cases of COVID-19 and two new death were reported in the region Thursday.
St. Clair County reported 48 new cases and no new deaths. In Madison County, 54 new cases of COVID-19 were reported.
Elsewhere in Region 4, Monroe County reported eight new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, while Bond County reported five new cases, Clinton County reported 25 and Randolph reported seven.
Monroe and Bond counties both reported one death Thursday. No information on the individuals who died was available.
Washington County did not report daily COVID-19 data.
According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, regionally, 32% of the metro-east’s hospital beds were available Thursday, while 40% of the ICU beds were available.
Regionally, as of Thursday, 90 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 10 of those patients on ventilators.
Outside of Region 4 on Thursday, nearby Perry County reported four new cases of COVID-19.
St. Clair County’s latest rundown
St. Clair County has now reported a total of 7,571 positive cases and 191 deaths.
St. Clair County reported 60 hospitalizations Thursday, up from 56 on Wednesday. Five patients were on ventilators as of Thursday, down from seven Wednesday.
The county’s daily positivity rate increased from 4.4% on Wednesday to 5.6% on Thursday. The county’s seven-day rolling average Thursday was at 6.5%, up from 6.4% Wednesday.
At congregate living centers in St. Clair County, Parkway Gardens in Fairview Heights reported two new cases, for a total of seven.
The county’s new cases included young people under 10 to people in their 90s. Of the 54 new cases reported by the county, 28 of the individuals were in their 40s or younger. No county ZIP code reported a double digit increase Thursday.
Madison County by the numbers
Madison County has reported a total of 5,934 cases and 142 deaths as of Thursday.
Fifteen COVID-19 patients were in Madison County hospitals, down from 18 on Wednesday. Two of those patients were on ventilators, down from three on Wednesday.
The county’s daily positivity rate dropped from 9.70% on Wednesday to 6.19% on Thursday. The seven-day rolling positivity rate average dropped from 7.97% on Wednesday to 7.56% on Thursday.
People diagnosed with the virus Thursday ranged in age from under 10 to their 80s, and of the 54 new cases, 35 were people in their 40s or younger. No county ZIP code reported a double digit increase Thursday.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 2,166 new COVID-19 cases and 25 additional deaths Thursday.
A total of 295,440 state residents have tested positive, and 8,696 people have died since the pandemic began. More than 5.6 million coronavirus tests have been administered, including 65,615 since Wednesday.
As of Wednesday evening, when the latest data was available, 1,635 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19. According to IDPH, 359 of those patients were in intensive care units, including 149 on ventilators.
The statewide seven-day rolling positivity rate average from Sept. 24-30 was 3.5%.
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
Thursday’s new data: 48 new positives, 852 new tests administered, 55 new recoveries, four additional hospitalizations, two fewer patients on ventilators
Total overall: 7,571 positives, 191 deaths, 89,784 tests administered, 6,853 recoveries, 60 patients hospitalized, including five on ventilators
Positivity rate as of Sept. 28: Daily, 6.1%; seven-day rolling average, 6.6%
ZIP codes with positives:
62059 (Brooklyn): 17 (+1)
62201 (East St. Louis): 248 (-1)
62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 219
62204 (East St. Louis): 145
62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 215 (+1)
62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 463 (+5)
62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 256 (+1)
62208 (Fairview Heights): 453 (+6)
62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 587 (+1)
62221 (Belleville): 710 (+6)
62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 453 (+5)
62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 31
62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 778 (+4)
62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 197 (+1)
62239 (Dupo): 126 (+2)
62240 (Dupo): 36 (+1)
62243 (Freeburg): 113 (+2)
62254 (Lebanon): 275 (+1)
62255 (Lenzburg): 17 (+1)
62257 (Marissa): 36 (+1)
62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 193 (+1)
62260 (Millstadt): 151
62264 (New Athens): 107
62269 (O’Fallon): 588 (+5)
62282 (St. Libory): 13
62285 (Smithton): 131 (+3)
62289 (Summerfield): 6
MADISON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 54 new positives, 873 tests administered
Total overall: 5,937 positives, 142 deaths, 78,503 tests administered, 3,077 recoveries, 15 hospitalizations, with two of those patients on ventilators
Positivity rates as of Sept. 28: Daily, 7.9%; seven-day rolling average, 7.9%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 27
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 874 (+5)
- 62010 (Bethalto): 258
- 62012 (Godfrey): 15
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 68
- 62021 (Dorsey): 14
- 62024 (East Alton): 150 (+2)
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 784 (+9)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 305 (+2)
- 62035 (Godfrey): 461 (+6)
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 875 (+8)
- 62046 (Hamel): 17
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 19
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 130
- 62061 (Marine): 35
- 62062 (Maryville): 126 (+1)
- 62067 (Moro): 57
62074 (New Douglas): 12
- 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 30
- 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 30 (+1)
- 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 8
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 33 (+1)
- 62095 (Wood River): 200
- 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 51
- 62201: (East St. Louis, Sauget, Fairmont City, Madison, National City): 6
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 600 (+5)
- 62249 (Highland): 355 (+3)
62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 23
62281 (St. Jacob): 60 (+2)
62293: (St. Morgan): 9
- 62294 (Troy): 264
CLINTON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 25 new positives, 45 new recoveries
Total overall: 1,258 positives, 21 deaths, 1,059 recoveries, seven hospitalizations
Positivity rate as of Sept. 27: Daily, 11%; seven-day rolling average, 12.6%
ZIP codes with positives:
62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 54
62216 (Aviston): 122
62218 (Bartelso): 82
62230 (Breese): 228
62231 (Carlyle): 253
62245 (Germantown): 60
62265 (New Baden): 133
62293 (Trenton): 116
62801 (Centralia): 346
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: seven new positives, 230 new tests administered, 12 new recoveries
Total overall: 978 positives, 12 deaths, 12,950 tests administered, 918 recoveries
Positivity rate as of Sept. 28: Daily, 4.5%; seven-day rolling average, 2.7%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 17
- 62233 (Chester): 361
- 62237 (Coulterville): 63
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 25
- 62242 (Evansville): 23
- 62272 (Percy): 66
- 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 12
- 62278 (Red Bud): 149
- 62286 (Sparta): 161
- 62288 (Steeleville): 107
- 62292 (Tilden): 7
- 62297 (Walsh): 6
- 62916 (Campbell Hill): 15
MONROE COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: Eight new positives, one new death
Total overall: 702 positives, 17 deaths
Positivity rate as of Sept. 28: Daily, 3.8%; seven-day rolling average, 8.5%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 275
- 62244 (Fults): 7
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 29
- 62298 (Waterloo): 354
BOND COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: Five new positives, 314 new tests administered, one new death
Total overall: 343 positives, eight deaths, 16,356 tests administered, two hospitalizations
Positivity rate as of Sept. 28: Daily, 3.3%; seven-day rolling average, 8.6%
ZIP codes with positives:
62086 (Sorento): 15
62246 (Greenville): 222
62262 (Mulberry Grove): 26
62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 86
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 219 positives, one death, 200 recoveries, 10 hospitalizations
Positivity rate as of Sept. 27: Daily, 6.5%; seven-day rolling average, 11.3%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 15
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 98 (+4)
- 62268 (Oakdale): 12
- 62271 (Okawville): 30
- 62808 (Ashley): 18
- 62848 (Irvington): 17
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 7 new positives
Total overall: 614 positives, 10 deaths, 293 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 16
- 62012 (Brighton): 121
- 62014 (Bunker Hill): 43
62033 (Gillespie): 112
62063 (Medora, Summerville, Kemper, Rockbridge): 8
62069 (Mount Olive): 34
- 62088 (Staunton): 112
- 62626 (Carlinville): 67
- 62640 (Girard): 17
- 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 16
- 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 16
- 62690 (Virden): 31
JERSEY COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: No new data.
Total overall: 399 positives, 17 deaths, 354 recoveries, 6,304 tests administered
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62022 (Newbern): 23
- 62028 (Elsah): 8
- 62031 (Fieldon): 10
- 62037 (Grafton): 33
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 258
PERRY COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: Four new cases, six new recoveries
Total overall: 363 positives, 16 deaths, 318 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 15
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 165
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 108
- 62888 (Tamaroa): 31
- 62997 (Willisville): 8
CALHOUN COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: No new data.
Total overall: 65 positives, 43 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62036 (Golden Eagle): 9
- 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 Thursday afternoon:
Illinois: 295,440 cases, 8,696 deaths, 5,690,437 tests
U.S.: 7,420,300 cases, 211,188 deaths, 4,664,503 recoveries
World: 33,999,269 cases, 1,015,113 deaths, 25,251,696 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
These are free COVID-19 testing options in the following locations this week:
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)
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.
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This story was originally published October 1, 2020 at 5:42 PM.