Region 4 in southwestern Illinois one day from having COVID-19 mitigations lifted

Metro-East Region 4 on Thursday moved another step closer to having COVID-19 mitigations lifted.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the region reported a seven-day rolling average of 6.1% on Thursday — the lowest since July 12 — marking the second-straight day below the 6.5% threshold that must be met to have mitigations rolled back.

A third consecutive day below 6.5% triggers relaxed mitigation, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan.

The latest data available for positivity rates as of Thursday was Monday, Oct. 5, meaning as of that date the region’s positivity rate was 6.1%. The metro-east’s seven-day rolling average rate was 6.3% on Wednesday.

“This is big for us ... which means one more day and we’ll be able to reopen inside dining and a few other things,” St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said during Thursdsay’s daily briefing. “That is a big positive for our businesses. We hope to have some good news tomorrow. We think the numbers will be below 6.5, but we need to wait until we talk to the IDPH.”

Region 4 includes St. Clair, Madison, Bond, Clinton, Monroe, Randolph and Washington counties. St. Clair County leaders have been critical of other counties for not containing the spread of the virus and lowering their individual posivity rates.

Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons congratulated St. Clair for leading the way for the region.

“Team St. Clair, you’re the lead team pulling those numbers down, and that’s what we want,” he said. “Team St. Clair has worked hard. Team St. Clair has been spreading the word. We hope tomorrow we get the call from IDPH that it’s the third day (below 6.5%).”

St. Clair County, meanwhile, reported its 199th and 200th COVID-19-related deaths Thursday. Simmons expressed his dismay over this figure, while making pointed remarks to community members who he said still do not take the virus seriously.

“The one thing I can tell you for sure, there are 200 citizens of St. Clair County who aren’t sitting back trying to figure out numbers or trying to figure out what they’re having for dinner tonight — because they’re no longer with us,” Simmons said. “200 of our county residents have died because of COVID-19. If you don’t think this virus is serious, then, again, you’ve got your head under a rock somewhere.”

Illinois reports new cases, deaths Thursday

This information is according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The information in parentheses is the difference from the previous day’s totals.

New cases: 3,059 (+389)

New deaths: 32 (-10)

New tests: 72,491 (+13,671)

Total cases: 310,700

Total deaths: 8,910

Total tests: 6,105,780

Hospitalizations: 1,755 (+76)

People in ICU: 392 (+20)

People on ventilators: 163 (-2)

Statewide positivity rate from Oct. 1-7: 3.7% (+0.2%)

Thursday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4

The information in parentheses is the difference from the previous day’s totals.

New cases: 218 (+56)

New deaths: 3 (+1) (St. Clair County — a woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions; a woman in her 80s with no known underlying health conditions; Madison County — a woman in her 90s with no underlying health conditions reported)

Daily positivity rate as of Oct. 5: 5.8% (-0.5%)

7-day rolling average as of Oct. 5: 6.1% (-0.2%)

Hospitalizations: 89 (+19)

Patients on ventilators: 4 (-2)

Hospital bed availability: 31% (-2%)

ICU bed availability: 51% (+3%)

Cases outside Region 4: 23 (+2)

Southwestern Illinois COVID-19 statistics

ZIP code-level numbers for the entire state are provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health each afternoon at dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics.

The Madison County Health Department compiles its 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 the local health department provides for Madison County ZIP codes.

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: 84 new positives, 2 new deaths, 2,166 new tests administered, 68 new recoveries, 5 additional patients hospitalized, 1 less patient on a ventilator

Total overall: 7,894 positives, 200 deaths, 94,230 tests administered, 7,228 recoveries, 47 patients hospitalized with 2 of those patients on ventilators

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily - 7.2% (+2.7%); 7-day average - 5.3% (+0.1%)

Additional data: The county’s new cases included people under 10 to people in their 80s. Of the 84 new cases reported by the county, 54 of the individuals were in their 40s or younger.

Congregate living facilities: Four Fountains in Belleville reported 1 new death; Caseyville Nursing and Rehab reported 2 new cases.

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62059 (Brooklyn): 17

• 62201 (East St. Louis): 253 (+3)

• 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 230 (+4)

• 62204 (East St. Louis): 158 (+3)

• 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 222 (+2)

• 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 487 (+8)

• 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 261 (+4)

• 62208 (Fairview Heights): 471 (+3)

• 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 620 (+19)

• 62221 (Belleville): 728 (+5)

• 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 481 (+10)

• 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 32 (+1)

• 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 820 (+7)

• 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 204 (+2)

• 62239 (Dupo): 128

• 62240 (Dupo): 39

• 62243 (Freeburg): 115

• 62254 (Lebanon): 280 (+2)

• 62255 (Lenzburg): 21 (+3)

• 62257 (Marissa): 38

• 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 203 (+4)

• 62260 (Millstadt): 157 (+2)

• 62264 (New Athens): 107

• 62269 (O’Fallon): 619 (+8)

• 62282 (St. Libory): 14 (+1)

• 62285 (Smithton): 135

• 62289 (Summerfield): 6

MADISON COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: 86 new positives, one new death, 1,350 new tests administered, 2 new recoveries, 4 new hospitalizations

Total overall: 6,242 positives, 146 deaths, 84,045 tests administered, 3,312 recoveries, 18 patients hospitalized with 2 of those patients on a ventilator

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily - 4.5% (+0.2%); 7-day average - 5.7% (-0.3%)

Additional data: People diagnosed with the virus Wednesday ranged in age from 10-19 to their 80s, and, of the 86 new cases, 65 were people in their 40s or younger.

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 28
• 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 909 (+9)
• 62010 (Bethalto): 267 (+1)
• 62012 (Godfrey): 15
  
  
• 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 73 (+1)
• 62021 (Dorsey): 14
• 62024 (East Alton): 162 (+3)
• 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 811 (+9)
• 62034 (Glen Carbon): 317 (+1)
• 62035 (Godfrey): 490 (+13)
• 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 931 (+18)
• 62046 (Hamel): 17
• 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 21 (+1)
• 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 135 (+2)
• 62061 (Marine): 39 (+1)
• 62062 (Maryville): 135 (+1)
• 62067 (Moro): 61

• 62074 (New Douglas): 12

• 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 35
• 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 30
• 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 10
• 62090 (Madison, Venice): 33
• 62095 (Wood River): 208 (+3)
• 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 55 (+2)
• 62201: (Fairmont City, Madison): 6
• 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 624 (+8)
• 62249 (Highland): 381 (+7)
• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 23

• 62281 (St. Jacob): 67 (+2)

• 62293: (St. Morgan): 9

• 62294 (Troy): 285 (+4)

CLINTON COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: 12 new positives, 16 new recoveries

Total overall: 1,363 positives, 23 deaths, 1,145 recoveries, seven patients hospitalized

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily - 4.9% (-7.0%); 7-day average - 11.9% (-0.5%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 60

• 62216 (Aviston): 134 (+6)

• 62218 (Bartelso): 83

• 62230 (Breese): 256 (+7)

• 62231 (Carlyle): 269

• 62245 (Germantown): 71 (+1)

• 62265 (New Baden): 153 (+2)

• 62293 (Trenton): 121

• 62801 (Centralia): 436 (+1)

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: 21 new positives, 97 new tests administered, eight new recoveries, two new hospitalizations

Total overall: 1,031 positives, 13 deaths, 13,569 tests administered, 958 recoveries, two hospitalizations

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily — 5.5% (-6.4%); 7-day average — 5.4% (+0.1%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62217 (Baldwin): 17
• 62233 (Chester): 377 (+6)
• 62237 (Coulterville): 65
• 62241 (Ellis Grove): 26 (+1)
• 62242 (Evansville): 27 (+3)
• 62272 (Percy): 69 (+2)
• 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 17 (+4)
• 62278 (Red Bud): 158 (+3)
• 62286 (Sparta): 166 (+1)
• 62288 (Steeleville): 114 (+4)
• 62292 (Tilden): 7
• 62297 (Walsh): 6
• 62916 (Campbell Hill): 16

MONROE COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: 12 new positives

Total overall: 767 positives, 23 deaths

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily — 0.0% (no change); 7-day average — 6.4% (-0.1%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62236 (Columbia): 290 (+5)
• 62244 (Fults): 9
• 62295 (Valmeyer): 30 (+1)
• 62298 (Waterloo): 394 (+8)

BOND COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 3 new positives, 39 new tests administered

Total overall: 367 positives, 9 deaths, 17,719 tests administered, 1 patient hospitalized

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily - 0.0% (-5.6%); 7-day average - 7.6% (+0.7%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62086 (Sorento): 15

• 62246 (Greenville): 236

• 62262 (Mulberry Grove): 30 (+2)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 91

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: No new data

Total overall: 240 positives, one death, 223 recoveries

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily — 50% (+38.9%); 7-day average — 7.9% (-0.1%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 17
• 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 107
• 62268 (Oakdale): 13
• 62271 (Okawville): 33
• 62808 (Ashley): 19
• 62848 (Irvington): 18

MACOUPIN COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: 17 new positives, 8 new recoveries

Total overall: 670 positives, 10 deaths, 352 recoveries

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily - 2.2% (-3.2%); 7-day average - 5.4% (-0.3%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 19
• 62012 (Brighton): 130
• 62014 (Bunker Hill): 48

• 62033 (Gillespie): 113

• 62063 (Medora, Summerville, Kemper, Rockbridge): 7

• 62069 (Mount Olive): 41

• 62088 (Staunton): 128
• 62626 (Carlinville): 77
• 62640 (Girard): 20
• 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 16
• 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 17
  
  
• 62690 (Virden): 32

JERSEY COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: 2 new positives

Total overall: 418 positives, 19 deaths, 362 recoveries

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily — 11.5% (+1.7%); 7-day average — 4.1% (+0.3%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62022 (Newbern): 24
• 62028 (Elsah): 8
• 62031 (Fieldon): 10
• 62037 (Grafton): 33
• 62052 (Jerseyville): 274 (+5)

PERRY COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: 2 new positives, 5 new recoveries

Total overall: 370 positives, 16 deaths, 337 recoveries

Positivity rates as of Oct. 4: Daily: 1.9% (+1.9%); 7-day average: 2.3% (-1.1%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62238 (Cutler): 15
• 62274 (Pinckneyville): 166
• 62832 (Du Quoin): 118 (+3)
• 62888 (Tamaroa): 32
• 62997 (Willisville): 8

CALHOUN COUNTY

Thursday’s new data: No new data

Total overall: 66 positives, 51 recoveries

Positivity rates as of Oct. 5: Daily - 0.0% (no change); 7-day average - 3.8% (+0.2%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62036 (Golden Eagle): 10
• 62047 (Hardin): 19

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: 310,700 cases, 8,910 deaths, 6,105,780 tests
• U.S.: 7,793,305 cases, 217,163 deaths, 4,998,515 recoveries
• World: 36,587,018 cases, 1,063,444 deaths, 27,545,077 recoveries

Testing sites in southwestern Illinois

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

• Saturday, Oct. 10, through Tuesday, Oct. 13: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Clair Square Mall, 134 St. Clair Square, Fairview Heights (drive-thru).

• Monday, Oct. 19, and Tuesday, Oct. 20: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Southwestern Illinois College, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville (drive-thru and walk-up).

• Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Thursday, Oct. 22: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, 200 S. Belt E. (drive-thru).

• Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Belleville West High School, 4063 Frank Scott Parkway (drive-thru).

No appointment is necessary. Masks are required.

The Illinois Department of Public Health 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 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 October 8, 2020 at 5:05 PM.