Southwest Illinois’ coronavirus stats remain too high to relax business restrictions
Coronavirus statistics reported Saturday for the metro-east remained too high for pandemic restrictions to be relaxed.
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that an average of 8.7% of the coronavirus tests performed in the metro-east were positive for COVID-19 as of Oct. 28, the latest date information was available.
The metro-east needs that figure, known as the positivity rate, to be 6.5% for three consecutive days for bars and restaurants to resume indoor dining. The region has been under stricter business restrictions since Oct. 28.
St. Clair, Madison, Clinton, Randolph, Monroe, Bond and Washington counties are included in the state-defined metro-east region.
St. Clair County officials expressed concern Saturday that there could be an increase in COVID-19 diagnoses, caused by coronavirus infection, after Halloween because they have seen an increase in transmission around other holidays.
The virus spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, sings or even breathes around other people. Experts recommend physical distance and masks to reduce the risk of transmission.
“We always get nervous around a holiday because it’s a short time after that particular holiday, no matter what holiday it is, we start to see an uptick,” St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said during the county’s daily COVID-19 update on Saturday.
“We can’t take an uptick right now. ... We’re at uptick levels already. If we get much higher, it’s just going to be very difficult to get those levels down below 6.5%.”
Illinois reports new cases, deaths Friday
This information is provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
New cases: 7,899 (record one-day increase)
New deaths: 46
New tests: 92,636
Total cases: 410,300
Total deaths: 9,757
Total tests: 7,729,845
Hospitalizations: 3,228 (+136)
People in ICU: 680 (+7)
People on ventilators: 290 (+2)
Statewide positivity rate (from Oct. 24-30): 7.5% (+0.2%)
Saturday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4
New cases: 217
New deaths: 3
Daily positivity rate (as of Oct. 28): 8.7% (-1.3%)
7-day rolling average (as of Oct. 28): 8.7% (no change)
Hospital bed availability: 28% (+2%)
ICU bed availability: 45% (+4%)
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 98 positives, 1,124 tests administered, one death
Total overall: 9,344 positives, 223 deaths, 116,769 tests administered, 8,380 recoveries, 55 patients hospitalized with nine on ventilators
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 6.7% (-2.5%); 7-day average — 7.1% (-0.3%)
Additional data: Individuals diagnosed ranged in age from under 10 to their 80s. Of the 98 new cases, 54 were individuals under the age of 40.
Congregate living facilities: No change
MADISON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 72 positives, one death
Total overall: 7,694 positives, 159 deaths, 101,874 tests administered, 3,678 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 10.6% (+2.9%); 7-day average — 8.5% (+0.5%)
CLINTON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 1,881 positives, 31 deaths, 1,578 recoveries, 10 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 7.7% (-7.7%); 7-day average — 13.2% (-1.2%)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 31 positives, one death
Total overall: 1,423 positives, 18 deaths, 1,245 recoveries, one patient hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 9.1% (-7.9%); 7-day average — 10.6% (-0.7%)
MONROE COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 16 positives
Total overall: 1,061 positives, 28 deaths, five patients hospitalized
Positivity rates as (of Oct. 28): Daily — 10.6% (-7%); 7-day average — 10.5% (no change)
BOND COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 544 positives, 10 deaths, 23,145 tests administered, two patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 15% (+15%); 7-day average — 6.5% (+0.2%)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 342 positives, two deaths, 304 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 9.8% (-9.9%); 7-day average — 16% (-1%)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 910 positives, 14 deaths, 498 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 7.1% (+1.6%); 7-day average — 6.7% (+0.5%)
JERSEY COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 549 positives, 21 deaths, 490 recoveries, 8,357 tests
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 11.9% (+3.2%); 7-day average — 6.5% (1.1%)
PERRY COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 23 positives
Total overall: 508 positives, 16 deaths, 389 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 19.3% (+0.6%); 7-day average — 16.9% (+2.3%)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 103 positives, 84 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Oct. 28): Daily — 23.7% (+14%); 7-day average — 14.5% (+7.1%)
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 Saturday afternoon:
- Illinois: 410,300 cases, 9,757 deaths, 7,729,845 tests
- U.S.: 9,104,336 cases, 230,281 deaths, 3,578,452 recoveries
- World: 45,908,422 cases, 1,193,012 deaths, 29,800,442 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
Here are free COVID-19 testing options.
- Wednesday, Nov. 4: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. at Millstadt City Park.
- Sunday, Nov. 8: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McKendree University, 701 College Road, Lebanon.
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 31, 2020 at 6:29 PM.
