Southwest Illinois positivity rate tops 13%. Statewide 145 deaths reported
The metro-east’s COVID-19 positivity rate continued to climb Wednesday, surpassing 13% for the first time since the pandemic began.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported Wednesday the metro-east, or Region 4 as the state refers to it, has a 13.4% testing positivity rate, up from 12.7% on Tuesday. It marked the 22nd-straight day the region has been above the 8% threshold that triggered the restrictions already imposed on the seven-county area.
Wednesday also marks the end of a 14-day observation period put in place by the state health department to track the region’s positivity rate. According to the state rules, more restrictions could be imminent as the region did not get its positivity rate below 8%.
The new restrictions would further restrict indoor dining, bars and social gatherings.
IDPH is currently recommending that all Illinoisans stay home as much as possible over the next three weeks and only leave the house when needed. In a statement, officials said people should only leave to run essential errands, like going to the pharmacy or getting groceries.
St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said this week that in light of the rising numbers, additional restrictions for Region 4 are inevitable.
A region’s positivity rate is its percentage of positive COVID-19 tests versus the number of tests taken over a seven-day period. Region 4 includes St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Bond, Washington, Clinton and Randolph counties.
On Oct. 28, the state re-implemented tier 1 restrictions from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan after the metro-east reported three consecutive days with an 8% positivity or higher. Currently, all 11 regions in Illinois are subject to at least tier 1 restrictions.
Additionally, the region reported a daily positivity rate of 15% on Wednesday, up from 13.5% on Tuesday.
The region’s hospital bed capacity was at 24% on Wednesday, down from 28% on Tuesday, and its intensive care capacity was at 36% on Wednesday, up from 35% on Tuesday. State officials say new restrictions could result if the availability of ICU beds in the region’s hospitals falls below 20%.
St. Clair County Health Department Emergency Response Coordinator Sam Bierman said Wednesday marked the highest level of COVID-19 hospitalizations the county and region have seen since the pandemic started. Currently, 83 patients are hospitalized with the virus in the county with 10 patients on ventilators. In the region, 169 patients are hospitalized with 22 individuals on ventilators.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths Wednesday
This information is provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
New cases: 12,657 (+34)
New deaths: 145 (+66)
New tests: 93,464 (-8,491)
Total cases: 523,840
Total deaths: 10,434
Total tests: 8,664,483
Hospitalizations: 5,024 (+300)
People in ICU: 951 (+40)
People on ventilators: 404 (+5)
Statewide positivity rate (from Nov. 4-Nov. 10): 12.4% (+0.4%)
Wednesday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4
New cases: 540
New deaths: No new data as of 2 p.m.
Daily positivity rate (as of Nov. 7): 15% (+1.5%)
Seven-day rolling average (as of Nov. 7): 13.4% (+0.7%)
Regional hospitalizations: 169
Regional patients on ventilators: 22
Hospital bed availability: 24% (-4.0%)
ICU bed availability: 36% (+1%)
New cases from nearby counties outside Region 4: 0
New deaths from nearby counties outside Region 4: 0
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: 205 new positives, 760 new tests administered
Total overall: 10,881 positives, 230 deaths, 128,240 tests administered, 9,201 recoveries, 83 patients hospitalized with 10 patients on ventilators
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 13.8% (+1.4%); seven-day average — 10.1% (+0.9%)
Additional data: New positives included individuals under the age of 10 and up to the age of 90. Of the new 205 positives, 132 individuals in their 40s or younger.
Congregate living facilities: Integrity Healthcare of Belleville reported one new case, Integrity Healthcare of Smithton reported one new case and Lebanon Care Center reported one new case.
MADISON COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: 181 new positives, 862 new tests administered
Total overall: 9,102 positives, 165 deaths, 114,995 tests administered, 4,023 recoveries, 71 hospitalizations with 12 patients on ventilators
Additional data: New positives included individuals under the age of 10 and up to the age of 90. Of the new 181 positives, 103 individuals in their 40s or younger.
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 14.4% (+0.1%); seven-day average — 14.1% (+0.6%)
CLINTON COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 2,292 positives, 36 deaths, 1,834 recoveries, 12 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 11.2% (-3.6%); 7-day average — 17.3% (-0.3%)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: 32 new positives
Total overall: 1,671 positives, 22 deaths, 18,452 tests performed, 1,459 recoveries, 8 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 20.2% (+13.4%); seven-day average — 12.1% (+0.9%)
MONROE COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: 25 new positives
Total overall: 1,370 positives, 38 deaths, 11 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates as (of Nov. 8): Daily — 28.6% (+6.2%); seven-day average — 16.6% (+1.3%)
BOND COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data (Nov. 7-11): 97 new positives
Total overall: 740 positives, 10 deaths, 27,069 tests administered, 1 patient hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 15.7% (+4.7%); seven-day average — 17.0% (-0.1%)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 396 positives, 2 deaths, 343 recoveries, 19 hospitalizations
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 30.0% (+17.5%); seven-day average — 18.1% (+3.0%)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 1,326 positives, 16 deaths, 601 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 14.8% (+1.6%); 7-day average — 13.1% (+0.5%)
JERSEY COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 787 positives, 21 deaths, 568 recoveries, 9,724 tests
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 8.0% (-8.4%); seven-day average — 17.3% (-0.9%)
PERRY COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 671 positives, 16 deaths, 485 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 24.3 (+4.3%); 7-day average — 23.1% (+0.2%)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Wednesday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 146 positives, 105 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Nov. 8): Daily — 0.8% (-27.8%); 7-day average — 10.7% (-10.1%)
Editor’s Note: The zip codes for each county are reported every Monday and show how many new cases have been reported since the previous Monday. These numbers are according to some counties and IDPH’s website.
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 Wednesday afternoon:
- Illinois: 523,840 cases, 10,434 deaths, 8,664,483 tests
- U.S.: 10,456,335 cases, 244,856 deaths, 6,559,780 recoveries
- World: 51,600,193 cases, 1,275,142 deaths, 36,290,676 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
Here is a free COVID-19 testing option.
- Thursday, Nov. 12: 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. at Scheve Park, Harnett Street and Harper Road, Mascoutah.
In addition, the Illinois Department of Public Health 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.
This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 2:31 PM.