Southwest IL positivity rate tops 8% threshold, restrictions could be back by Monday
The COVID-19 positivity rate for Metro-East Region 4 has once again surpassed the state-set threshold Friday, making a return of restrictions on indoor dining and bars a possibility by Monday.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported the metro-east’s seven-day rolling average positivity rate increased from 7.8% on Thursday to 8.1% on Friday. If the region reports three consecutive days above 8%, recently eased restrictions could be re-implemented in the seven-county metro-east.
“Remember, three days of 8% and those additional mitigations are going to come back,” St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said during Thursday’s daily briefing. “We’re dangerously close to reaching that number now. We have to do a better job about trying to distance ourselves and encourage others to do so. Team St. Clair has been really good at that, so we’re just going to have to get the word out a little bit to those who aren’t following those rules.”
On Friday, Kern said the region needs to “come together” to get the positivity rate down. He said the counties in Region 4 with higher rates need to help out for the sake of local businesses.
“If we aren’t all together in this region we’re all going to be under this mitigation,” Kern said. “It’s not good for local business and many aren’t going to survive another round.”
He added that the current data did not “bode well” for the region and that a new round of restrictions may be likely.
The state eased restrictions on restaurants, bars and social gatherings on Oct. 9, after the metro-east saw its positivity rate fall below 6.5%.
Region 4 includes St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Bond, Washington, Clinton and Randolph counties. Region 4 also saw a jump in its daily positivity rate from 8.9% on Wednesday to 9.6% on Thursday.
The positivity rate data reported by the state is delayed by three days, so the rate as of Oct. 20 was the most recent data available Friday.
The region’s hospital bed capacity was at 31% on Wednesday and its ICU capacity was at 51%.
If the region’s hospital capacity threatens its surge capacities, meaning if the ICU capacity of hospital bed capacity falls under 20%, new restrictions could also be enacted by the state.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths Friday
This information is according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
New cases: 3,874 (-1,068)
New deaths: 31 (-13)
New tests: 82,256 (+1,279)
Total cases: 364,033
Total deaths: 9,418
Total tests: 7,113,338
Hospitalizations: 2,498 (+35)
People in ICU: 511 (-14)
People on ventilators: 197 (-15)
Statewide positivity rate from Oct. 16-22: 5.6% (+0.1%)
Friday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4
Some individual counties had not reported new daily COVID-19 data as of 4 p.m.
New cases: 198 (-91)
New deaths: 2 (One death was reported in Clinton County and one death was reported in St. Clair County)
Daily positivity rate as of Oct. 20: 8% (-1.6%)
7-day rolling average as of Oct. 20: 8.1% (+0.3%)
Hospitalizations: 101 (+3)
Patients on ventilators: 9 (no change from Wednesday)
Hospital bed availability: 31% (-1.0)
ICU bed availability: 51% (-1.0)
New cases from nearby counties outside Region 4: 0
New deaths from nearby counties outside Region 4: 0
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 66 new positives, one new death, 1,238 new tests administered
Total overall: 8,762 positives, 220 deaths, 109,598 tests administered, 7,927 recoveries, 61 patients hospitalized with 7 of those patients on ventilators
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 6.8% (-2.5%); 7-day average — 5.9% (+0.2)
Additional data: The county’s new cases included people under the age of 10 to people in their 80s. Of the 66 new cases, 37 were of people in their 40s or younger.
Congregate living facilities: One new case was reported at the Esquiline/Dammert Center at the Shrine
MADISON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 57 new positives, 798 new tests administered
Total overall: 7,084 positives, 153 deaths, 96,096 tests administered, 3,566 recoveries, 29 patients hospitalized with 4 of those patients on a ventilator
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 6.5% (-3.4%); 7-day average — 8.1% (no change from Thursday)
Additional data: The county’s new cases included people under the age of 10 to people in their 80s. Of the 57 new cases, 37 were of people in their 40s or younger.
CLINTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 21 positives, one new death
Total overall: 1,714 positives, 26 deaths, 1,443 recoveries, 14 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 15.1 (-4.6%); 7-day average — 16.9% (+0.5%)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 21 new positives
Total overall: 1,259 positives, 15 deaths, 15,535 tests administered, 1,093 recoveries, 4 hospitalizations
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 9.4% (+3.5%); 7-day average — 9.8% (+1.6%)
MONROE COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 24 new positives
Total overall: 911 positives, 27 deaths, 7 hospitalized
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 7.4 (+2.3%); 7-day average — 6.3% (+0.3%)
BOND COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 5 new positives
Total overall: 494 positives, 10 deaths, 21,398 tests administered, 3 hospitalizations
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 2.9 (-5.8%); 7-day average — 15.9 (-0.7%)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 12 new positives
Total overall: 300 positives, 1 death, 271 recoveries, 2 hospitalizations
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 5.9% (-3.2%); 7-day average — 10.3% (+0.3%)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 819 positives, 13 deaths, 430 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 4.4% (-1.9%); 7-day average — 8.6% (-1.2%)
JERSEY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 476 positives, 21 deaths, 414 recoveries, 7,632 tests
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 11.8 (+0.8%); 7-day average — 9.7% (+0.5)
PERRY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 416 positives, 16 deaths, 362 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 6.6% (+3.2%); 7-day average — 9.0% (-0.8%)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 78 positives, 69 recoveries
Positivity rates as of Oct. 20: Daily — 0% (no change); 7-day average — 2.1% (no change)
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: 364.033 cases, 9,418 deaths, 7,113,338 tests
- U.S.: 8,587,899 cases, 227,440 deaths, 5,603,130 recoveries
- World: 41,600,729 cases, 1,138,003 deaths, 30,969,715 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
These are free COVID-19 testing options in the following locations.
- 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
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This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 12:57 PM.