St. Clair County officials report four new COVID-19 deaths as positivity rate rises
St. Clair County officials reported four new COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, bringing the county’s total since the pandemic began to 205.
St. Clair County Health Department Emergency Response Coordinator Samantha Bierman said the four people who died were two men in their 80s, a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 80s.
They all had unknown underlying health conditions. No additional information was provided.
County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said 205 deaths in the county are a reminder to take COVID-19 seriously, even as restrictions are relaxed.
“One is too many,” Simmons said. “If that doesn’t send a message home I don’t know what will.”
The state eased some restrictions on businesses and gatherings last week, including a ban on indoor service at bars and restaurants, after the area’s positivity rate fell below 6.5% for three consecutive days.
Restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus had been in place since Aug. 18 in the metro-east, also known as Region 4, after the region passed the 8% positivity rate threshold for three consecutive days. Region 4 includes St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Bond, Washington, Clinton and Randolph counties.
On Tuesday, the region’s positivity rate ticked up to 6.6%, marking the fifth day the rate has risen in a row. The positivity rate was at 5.8% Oct. 6.
If the region were to pass 8% again for three consecutive days, state-mandated restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 could go into effect again.
“We were up again, up to 6.6, something we don’t like to see,” said St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern. “If we keep going the way we’re going it won’t be long till we’re back where we were.”
The region’s daily positivity rate decreased, falling from 7.2% as of Oct. 9, to 6.1% as of Oct. 10. The state’s positivity rate data is delayed by three days, so the rate as of Oct. 10 was the most recent data available Tuesday.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths Tuesday
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: 2,851 (+109)
New deaths: 29 (+16)
New tests: 47,579 (+8,414)
Total cases: 324,743
Total deaths: 9,026
Total tests: 6,411,254
Hospitalizations: 1,848 (+84)
People in ICU: 406 (+29)
People on ventilators: 160 (+7)
Statewide positivity rate from Oct. 6-12: 4.5%
Tuesday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4
The information in parentheses is the difference from the previous day’s totals. All information is as of 6 p.m.
New cases: 180(+18)
New deaths: Four deaths in St. Clair County, two in Madison County and one new death in Bond County
Daily positivity rate as of Oct. 10: 6.1% (-1.1%)
7-day rolling average as of Oct. 10: 6.6% (+0.1%)
Hospitalizations: 87 (-2)
Patients on ventilators: 7 (+1)
Hospital bed availability: 24% (+1%)
ICU bed availability: 39% (+1%)
Cases outside Region 4: 8
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
Tuesday’s new data: 42 new positives, 815 new tests administered, 42 new recoveries, four new deaths, eight fewer hospitalizations, one less patient on a ventilator
Total overall: 8,147 positives, 205 deaths, 100,677 tests administered, 7,458 recoveries, 41 patients hospitalized with two of those patients on ventilators
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 5.2% (-0.4%); 7-day average — 5.6% (+0.2%)
Additional data: The county’s new cases included people under the age of 1 to people in their 90s. Of the 42 new cases reported by the county, 28 of the individuals were in their 40s or younger
Congregate living facilities: One new case reported at the Esquiline/Dammert Center and one new case and one new death reported at Integrity Healthcare of Smithton.
ZIP codes with positives:
62059 (Brooklyn): 17
62201 (East St. Louis): 259
62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 235 (+1)
62204 (East St. Louis): 163 (+1)
62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 223
62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 505 (+3)
62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 261
62208 (Fairview Heights): 479 (+2)
62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 641 (+11)
62221 (Belleville): 754 (+3)
62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 502 (+3)
62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 33
62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 848 (+3)
62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 211 (+2)
62239 (Dupo): 130
62240 (Dupo): 39
62243 (Freeburg): 120
62254 (Lebanon): 281
62255 (Lenzburg): 21
62257 (Marissa): 39
62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 207 (+1)
62260 (Millstadt): 163 (+1)
62264 (New Athens): 108
62269 (O’Fallon): 646 (+4)
62282 (St. Libory): 14
62285 (Smithton): 138
62289 (Summerfield): 7
MADISON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 55 new positives, 515 new tests administered, two new deaths
Total overall: 6,491 positives, 149 deaths, 88,014 tests administered, 3,338 recoveries, 23 patients hospitalized with three of those patients on a ventilator
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 5% (-0.8%); 7-day average — 6.2% (no changes)
Additional data: People diagnosed with the virus ranged in age from 10 to their 90s, and, of the 55 new cases, 30 were people in their 50s or younger.
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 32
- 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 930 (+8)
- 62010 (Bethalto): 283 (+2)
- 62012 (Godfrey): 15
- 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 76
- 62021 (Dorsey): 16 (+1)
- 62024 (East Alton): 174
- 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 831 (+1)
- 62034 (Glen Carbon): 325 (+4)
- 62035 (Godfrey): 509 (+4)
- 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 969 (+5)
- 62046 (Hamel): 17
- 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 24 (+1)
- 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 137
- 62061 (Marine): 39
- 62062 (Maryville): 144 (+3)
- 62067 (Moro): 63
62074 (New Douglas): 13
- 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 36
- 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 31
- 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 10
- 62090 (Madison, Venice): 35
- 62095 (Wood River): 218
- 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 57
- 62201: (Fairmont City, Madison): 8
- 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 645 (+4)
- 62249 (Highland): 394 (+2)
- 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 23
62281 (St. Jacob): 70 (+1)
62293: (St. Morgan): 9
- 62294 (Troy): 287 (+1)
CLINTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 49 new positives from Oct. 10-13, two fewer patients hospitalized
Total overall: 1,447 positives, 23 deaths, 1,268 recoveries, six patients hospitalized
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 15.8% (+0.6%); 7-day average — 10 (-0.5%)
ZIP codes with positives:
62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 63
62216 (Aviston): 138
62218 (Bartelso): 84
62230 (Breese): 276
62231 (Carlyle): 276
62245 (Germantown): 73
62265 (New Baden): 158
62293 (Trenton): 122
62801 (Centralia): 464
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: Six new positives
Total overall: 1,083 positives, 14 deaths, 14,125 tests administered, 983 recoveries, two hospitalizations
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 10.3% (-10.7%); 7-day average — 10.2% (+1.3)
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62217 (Baldwin): 20
- 62233 (Chester): 389 (+6)
- 62237 (Coulterville): 69 (+3)
- 62241 (Ellis Grove): 27 (+1)
- 62242 (Evansville): 27
- 62272 (Percy): 69
- 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 20 (+1)
- 62278 (Red Bud): 165 (+1)
- 62286 (Sparta): 179 (+5)
- 62288 (Steeleville): 118 (+1)
- 62292 (Tilden): 7
- 62297 (Walsh): 6
- 62916 (Campbell Hill): 17
MONROE COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 18 new positives, three additional hospitalizations
Total overall: 818 positives, 26 deaths, seven hospitalizations, 669 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 1.9% (-2.4%); 7-day average — 8.2% (no changes)
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62236 (Columbia): 301
- 62244 (Fults): 9
- 62295 (Valmeyer): 31
- 62298 (Waterloo): 419
BOND COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 10 new positives, one new death
Total overall: 403 positives, 10 deaths, 10,491 tests administered
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 9.2% (+0.5%); 7-day average — 7.2% (+0.1%)
ZIP codes with positives:
62086 (Sorento): 15
62246 (Greenville): 247
62262 (Mulberry Grove): 33
62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 93
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 264 positives, one death, 229236 recoveries, three hospitalizations
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 12.5% (+3.3%); 7-day average — 7.6% (+0.4%)
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 18
- 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 115
- 62268 (Oakdale): 15
- 62271 (Okawville): 34
- 62808 (Ashley): 22
- 62848 (Irvington): 18
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 695 positives, 13 deaths, 366 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 5.5 (+3%); 7-day average — 6% (-0.1%)
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 21
- 62012 (Brighton): 130
- 62014 (Bunker Hill): 49 (+1)
62033 (Gillespie): 116
62063 (Medora, Summerville, Kemper, Rockbridge): 7
62069 (Mount Olive): 47 (+2)
- 62088 (Staunton): 133 (+2)
- 62626 (Carlinville): 84 (+3)
- 62640 (Girard): 21 (+1)
- 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 15
- 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 17
- 62690 (Virden): 33 (+1)
JERSEY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 426 positives, 20 deaths, 363 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 0% (-3.1%); 7-day average — 5.2% (-0.2)
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62022 (Newbern): 24
- 62028 (Elsah): 8
- 62031 (Fieldon): 10
- 62037 (Grafton): 33
- 62052 (Jerseyville): 277
PERRY COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: Eight positive cases
Total overall: 378 positives, 16 deaths, 350 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 9.1% (+5.6%); 7-day average — 3.2% (+1.1)
ZIP codes with positives:
- 62238 (Cutler): 15
- 62274 (Pinckneyville): 167
- 62832 (Du Quoin): 120
- 62888 (Tamaroa): 33 (+1)
- 62997 (Willisville): 11 (+2)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 6 p.m.
Total overall: 66 positives, 51 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 10: Daily — 0.0% (no change); 7-day average — 0% (-1.2%)
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 Tuesday afternoon:
- Illinois: 324,743 cases, 9,026 deaths, 6,411,254 tests
- U.S.: 7,836,680 cases, 215,549 deaths, 3,106,769 recoveries
- World: 37,984,579 cases, 1,083,216 deaths, 26,339,073 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
These are free COVID-19 testing options in the following locations.
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 13, 2020 at 5:13 PM.