14 St. Clair County mayors ask Pritzker to ease restaurant and bar restrictions
St. Clair County continued its push for the state to loosen its COVID-19 restrictions Friday, an effort they hope will save businesses in the county from the brink.
During a daily COVID-19 update, St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said he and 14 area mayors wrote letters to the Illinois Department of Public Health and Gov. J.B. Pritzker requesting current restrictions on indoor dining be eased ahead of colder weather.
“We feel that the mitigations should be put back to where they were at about a month ago,” Kern said. “The weather is getting cold outside and indoor dining is going to be a must if we’re going to keep our businesses going.”
In early September, the state implemented restrictions on the metro-east, which the state defines as Region 4, in hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19 and shrinking the region’s positivity rate. The state defines Region 4 as St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, Washington, Clinton and Bond counties.
The metro-east’s seven-day rolling positivity rate was 7.5% for the second day in a row Friday. The rolling average has been steadily rising since last Friday when the rate reached 6.9%.
The letters are the latest in a continuous effort by Kern and other officials to exempt St. Clair County from the region-wide restrictions because the county is making more progress on slowing the spread of COVID-19 and consistenly outperforms the rest of the metro-east. St. Clair County officials say other counties aren’t following the state’s directives.
Under Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, the region would need three consecutive days with a 6.5% or less seven-day rolling rate for the state to consider loosening the current restrictions.
The restrictions in Region 4 limit indoor service at bars and restaurants as well as the size of social gatherings.
The daily positivity rate for Region 4 increased from 7.1% on Thursday to 7.5% on Friday. Illinois provides the rate for each region at dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics. Information on the website is delayed by three days, so Tuesday, Sept. 29, was the latest data available Friday.
The seven-day positivity rate released Friday for St. Clair County was 6.5%, a full percentage point better than the region average.
“It certainly warrants a look at what we’re asking for,” Kern said. “We look forward to this message getting to the right place and falling on friendly ears.”
On Thursday, 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.”
Friday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4
Overall, 154 new cases of COVID-19 and seven new deaths were reported in the region Friday.
St. Clair County reported 46 new cases and five new deaths, two of which were from earlier in the week. Officials said two women in their 70s, one man in his 80s and one woman in her 80s died of COVID-19 and had unknown health conditions. One woman, in her 80s, also died and had underlying health conditions, officials reported.
In Madison County, officials reported 57 new cases of the virus.
Elsewhere in Region 4, Monroe County reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, while Bond County reported eight new cases, Clinton County reported 20 and Washington County reported 11.
Monroe County and Bond County also reported one death each. In Monroe County, an unidentified individual who resided at the Oak Hill Monroe County long-term care center died. Bond County did not release information on the individual who died.
As of 6 p.m., Randolph County had not reported daily COVID-19 data.
Several counties in the metro-east are on the state’s warning level list, including Bond, Clinton, Monroe, St. Clair and Washington.
The Illinois Department of Public Health uses several indicators when adding a county to the warning level list, including the number of new cases and deaths, the weekly positivity rate, ICU availability and more.
According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, 30% of the metro-east’s hospital beds were available Friday, while 38% of the ICU beds were available.
As of Friday, 97 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19, with eight of those patients on ventilators.
St. Clair County’s latest rundown
St. Clair County has now reported a total of 7,617 positive cases and 196 deaths.
St. Clair County reported 50 hospitalizations Friday, down from 60 on Thursday. Six patients were on ventilators as of Friday, up from five Thursday.
The county’s daily positivity rate decreased from 5.6% on Thursday to 3.9% on Friday. As stated earlier, the county’s seven-day rolling average Friday was at 6.5%, the same as Thursday.
At congregate living centers in St. Clair County, one new death was reported at the Esquiline/Dammert Center and three new deaths were reported at Integrity Healthcare of Smithton.
The county’s new cases included people under 10 and people in their 90s. Of the 46 new cases reported by the county, 38 of the individuals were in their 40s or younger. No county ZIP code reported a double digit increase Friday.
Madison County by the numbers
Madison County has reported a total of 5.994 cases and 142 deaths as of Friday.
Twenty-one COVID-19 patients were in Madison County hospitals, up from 15 on Thursday. Two of those patients were on ventilators, the same number as Thursday.
The county’s daily positivity rate increased from 6.19% on Thursday to 7.46% on Friday. The seven-day rolling positivity rate average increased from 7.56% on Thursday to 8.20% on Friday.
People diagnosed with the virus Friday ranged in age from under 10 to their 80s, and of the 57 new cases, 45 were people in their 40s or younger. No county ZIP code reported a double digit increase Friday.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 2,206 new COVID-19 cases and 47 additional deaths Friday.
A total of 297,646 state residents have tested positive, and 8,743 people have died since the pandemic began. More than 5.7 million coronavirus tests have been administered, including 72,691 since Thursday.
As of Thursday evening, when the latest data was available, 1,678 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 373 of those patients were in intensive care units, including 162 on ventilators.
The statewide seven-day rolling positivity rate average from Sept. 25-Oct. 1 was 3.4%.
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
Friday’s new data: 46 new positives, five new deaths, 1,175 new tests administered, 30 new recoveries, 10 fewer hospitalizations, one additional patient on a ventilator
Total overall: 7,617 positives, 196 deaths, 90,595 tests administered, 6,883 recoveries, 50 patients hospitalized, including six on ventilators
Positivity rate as of Sept. 29: Daily, 6.2%; seven-day rolling average, 6.6%
ZIP codes with positives:
62059 (Brooklyn): 17
62201 (East St. Louis): 248
62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 220 (+1)
62204 (East St. Louis): 145
62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 216 (+1)
62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 467 (+4)
62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 257 (+1)
62208 (Fairview Heights): 454 (+1)
62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 590 (+3)
62221 (Belleville): 710
62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 457 (+4)
62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 31
62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 786 (+8)
62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 199 (+2)
62239 (Dupo): 126
62240 (Dupo): 36
62243 (Freeburg): 114 (+1)
62254 (Lebanon): 275
62255 (Lenzburg): 17
62257 (Marissa): 37 (+1)
62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 196 (+3)
62260 (Millstadt): 152 (+1)
62264 (New Athens): 107
62269 (O’Fallon): 596 (+8)
62282 (St. Libory): 13
62285 (Smithton): 131
62289 (Summerfield): 6
MADISON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 57 new positives, 764 new tests administered, six additional hospitalizations.
Total overall: 5,994 positives, 142 deaths, 79,267 tests administered, 3,098 recoveries, 21 hospitalizations, with two of those patients on ventilators
Positivity rates as of Sept. 29: Daily, 7.5%; seven-day rolling average, 8%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 28 (+1)
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 880 (+6)
- 62010 (Bethalto): 259 (+1)
- 62012 (Godfrey): 15
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 68
- 62021 (Dorsey): 14
- 62024 (East Alton): 150
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 791 (+7)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 311 (+6)
- 62035 (Godfrey): 466 (+5)
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 883 (+8)
- 62046 (Hamel): 17
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 19
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 130
- 62061 (Marine): 35
- 62062 (Maryville): 127 (+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
- 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 8
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 33
- 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): 605 (+5)
- 62249 (Highland): 357 (+2)
62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 23
62281 (St. Jacob): 65 (+5)
62293: (St. Morgan): 9
- 62294 (Troy): 272 (+8)
CLINTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 20 new positives, 19 new recoveries, three additional hospitalizations
Total overall: 1,278 positives, 21 deaths, 1,078 recoveries, 10 hospitalizations
Positivity rate as of Sept. 29: Daily, 8.4%; seven-day rolling average, 12.2%
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
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 978 positives, 12 deaths, 12,950 tests administered, 918 recoveries
Positivity rate as of Sept. 29: Daily, 12%; seven-day rolling average, 3.9%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 17
- 62233 (Chester): 365
- 62237 (Coulterville): 63
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 25
- 62242 (Evansville): 23
- 62272 (Percy): 66
- 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 12
- 62278 (Red Bud): 150
- 62286 (Sparta): 162
- 62288 (Steeleville): 110
- 62292 (Tilden): 7
- 62297 (Walsh): 6
- 62916 (Campbell Hill): 16
MONROE COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 12 new positives, one new death
Total overall: 714 positives, 18 deaths
Positivity rate as of Sept. 29: Daily, 4.5%; seven-day rolling average, 7.2%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 278
- 62244 (Fults): 7
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 29
- 62298 (Waterloo): 363
BOND COUNTY
Friday’s new data: eight new positives, one new death, 118 new tests administered, one new hospitalization
Total overall: 351 positives, nine deaths, 16,3747 tests administered, three hospitalizations
Positivity rate as of Sept. 29: Daily, 26.1%; seven-day rolling average, 9.4%
ZIP codes with positives:
62086 (Sorento): 15
62246 (Greenville): 229
62262 (Mulberry Grove): 27
62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 88
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 11 new positives, seven new recoveries
Total overall: 230 positives, one death, 207 recoveries
Positivity rate as of Sept. 29: Daily, 4.5%; seven-day rolling average, 10.1%
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 15
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 103
- 62268 (Oakdale): 12
- 62271 (Okawville): 31
- 62808 (Ashley): 18
- 62848 (Irvington): 17
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 614 positives, 10 deaths, 293 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 16
- 62012 (Brighton): 123
- 62014 (Bunker Hill): 45
62033 (Gillespie): 112
62063 (Medora, Summerville, Kemper, Rockbridge): 7
62069 (Mount Olive): 35
- 62088 (Staunton): 119
- 62626 (Carlinville): 70
- 62640 (Girard): 17
- 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 16
- 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 16
- 62690 (Virden): 31
JERSEY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
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): 260
PERRY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 363 positives, 16 deaths, 318 recoveries
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 15
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 166
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 113
- 62888 (Tamaroa): 32
- 62997 (Willisville): 8
CALHOUN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4:30 p.m.
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 Friday afternoon:
Illinois: 297,646 cases, 8,743 deaths, 5,763,128 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.
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 2, 2020 at 5:43 PM.