Southwestern Illinois counties announce 1,161 new COVID-19 cases, 20 additional deaths

Metro-East Region 4 on Monday reported 1,161 new cases of coronavirus Monday and 20 new deaths related to the virus, though one county in the region noted that their statistics included several days of delayed test results.

Madison County health officials reported a record 633 new cases of the virus from Sunday to Monday and 11 new deaths. Madison County now has 10,318 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 183 deaths.

As explained on the county’s Facebook page: “Today, we received several days of delayed reports of test results as reflected and included in the new data. Following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, beginning November 6, 2020 and going forward, Madison County Health Department (MCHD) will report confirmed cases and probable cases combined. A confirmed case is laboratory confirmed via molecular test. A probable case has a positive antigen test result or is epidemiologically linked to a case.”

Madison County’s previous daily high for cases reported was 181 on Nov. 11.

St. Clair County announced a single-day record of 279 new cases of COVID-19 and three new deaths on Monday, while health officials lamented the growing stress on hospitals and health care workers.

St. Clair’s previous one-day high was 212 cases on Nov. 10. Of note, since Nov. 3, the county has hit triple digits in daily cases every day but one and now has 11,851 cases and 237 deaths related to the virus.

“Stay home if you really don’t need to go out,” St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said during Monday’s daily briefing. “If it’s not essential, the best way to avoid COVID is to stay home. The region is having real problems with COVID-19. The numbers are still growing at a bad time. We tend to see numbers spike after a holiday.

“The numbers are rising and they’re rising at quite an alarming rate. This is not a good situation.”

Meanwhile, St. Clair County officials announced 109 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 11 of those patients on ventilators. In Region 4 as of Monday afternoon, 220 people were in the hospital because of coronavirus, with 21 of those patients on ventilators.

Madison County on Monday reported 88 patients were hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 10 patients on ventilators.

“They’re at their maximum,” St. Clair County Health Department Emergency Response Coordinator Sam Bierman said of the health care workers and facilities. “Not only are they at the maximum for the beds they have available to put patients in, but their staff is almost exceeding capacity. They’ve been on those front lines. They’re exhausted. They’re getting sick.”

Added Kern, “Those health care workers, they’re wearing out — the doctors, the nurses. It’s really civic duty to wear this mask. It’s really the only way we’re going to get through this pandemic.”

Also during the livestream of St. Clair County’s daily COVID-19 briefing, commenters were discussing where to get supplies like toilet paper or paper towels and where those items were sold out as the threat of more regional restrictions or a statewide stay-at-home order loom. The Target location on Illinois 15, for instance, was completely out of toilet paper as of earlier today.

When Illinois was under a stay-at-home order back in March, citizens sometimes struggled to find necessities like toilet paper or cleaning supplies as people rushed to the stores to stock up.

“The rush has started,” one commenter said Monday.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker had not announced tougher rules for the metro-east or a stay-at-home order as of Monday afternoon.

Additionally, Kern encouraged the livestream viewers to help local restaurants while following safety guidelines through carry-out orders.

“Get carryout. Get takeout. Let’s keep these businesses staying in business,” Kern said. “You’ll be safe and you’ll be keeping your local establishments in business. So we encourage you to go out and do the take-out thing, even more than you normally would.”

At the same time, the comment section discussed all the restaurants defying state rules against indoor dining.

Regional positivity rate sets another record

The 7-day positivity rate for COVID-19 tests in southwestern Illinois set another record Monday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The 16.3% 7-day rolling average for the metro-east once again was at its highest level since the pandemic began. The previous high of 15.3% was set Sunday.

“That positivity rate is steadily climbing,” St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said. “The picture is getting gloomier every day. If more mitigations come, people aren’t going to be happy. This surge we’ve got going now, it’s going to blow us out of the water from where we were at several months ago. We’ve got to slow these numbers down.”

The new rate is based on tests recorded as of Nov. 13. A region’s positivity rate is its percentage of positive COVID-19 tests versus the number of tests taken over a 7-day period.

The state classifies the metro-east as Region 4, which covers seven counties: St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Bond, Washington, Clinton and Randolph. County-by-county data is available on the state health department’s website.

In addition, Monday marked the 27th straight day the region has been above the 8% threshold that triggered the latest restrictions in the seven-county area.

On Oct. 28, the state re-implemented tier 1 restrictions from 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 under tier 1 restrictions or higher.

And, with the positivity rate continuing to rise, additional restrictions soon could be imposed in the metro-east. In order to have the restrictions lifted, the metro-east must report three consecutive days with a positivity rate of 6.5% or lower.

The region, meanwhile, reported a daily positivity rate of 18.8% on Monday, up from 15.2% on Sunday.

The region’s hospital bed capacity was at 22% on Monday, and its intensive care capacity was at 28% on Monday. State officials say new restrictions could result if the availability of ICU beds in the region’s hospitals falls below 20%.

Illinois reports new cases, deaths Monday

This information is provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

New cases: 11,362 (+731)

New deaths: 37 (-35)

New tests: 90,612 (-5781)

Total cases: 585,248

Total deaths: 10,779

Total tests: 9,161,453

Hospitalizations: 5,581

People in ICU: 1,144

People on ventilators: 514

Statewide positivity rate (from Nov. 9-Nov. 15): 12.5%

Monday’s COVID-19 case breakdown for Region 4

New cases (some data includes Nov. 14-15): 1,139 (This includes 583 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 in Madison County and 50 probable cases, as defined by the health department)

New deaths (some data includes Nov. 14-15): 20 (11 new deaths were reported in Madison County; 5 new deaths were reported in Clinton County; 3 new deaths were reported in St. Clair County; and 1 new death was reported in Randolph County)

Daily positivity rate (as of Nov. 13): 18.8% (+3.6%)

Seven-day rolling average (as of Nov. 5): 16.3% (+1.0%)

Regional hospitalizations: 220

Regional patients on ventilators: 21

Hospital bed availability: 22%

ICU bed availability: 28%

New cases from nearby counties outside Region 4 (some data includes Nov. 14-15): 152

New deaths from nearby counties outside Region 4: 0

ST. CLAIR COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 279 new positives, 3 new deaths, 1,944 new tests administered

Total overall: 11,851 positives, 237 deaths, 135,627 tests administered, 9,708 recoveries, 109 patients hospitalized with 11 of those individuals on ventilators

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 15.1% (+1.7%); 7-day average — 13.8% (+0.7%)

Additional data: New positives include both males and females from below the age of 1 up into their 90s. Of the 279 new positives, 127 were individuals 40 years old or younger.

Congregate living facilities: Caseyville Nursing and Rehab reported 8 new cases; Cedar Ridge Health & Rehab Center of Lebanon reported 3 new cases; and Mar-Ka Nursing and Rehab in Mascoutah reported 3 new cases

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62059 (Brooklyn): 20

• 62201 (East St. Louis): 340 (+17)

• 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 343 (+37)

• 62204 (East St. Louis): 207 (+15)

• 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 305 (+33)

• 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 606 (+59)

• 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 331 (+42)

• 62208 (Fairview Heights): 682 (+66)

• 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 862 (+100)

• 62221 (Belleville): 1,099 (+137)

• 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 754 (+92)

• 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 64 (+15)

• 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 1,260 (+131)

• 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 330 (+51)

• 62239 (Dupo): 170 (+15)

• 62240 (Dupo): 61 (+6)

• 62243 (Freeburg): 230 (+42)

• 62254 (Lebanon): 389 (+57)

• 62255 (Lenzburg): 24 (+2)

• 62257 (Marissa): 82 (+13)

• 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville): 393 (+80)

• 62260 (Millstadt): 270 (+42)

• 62264 (New Athens): 133 (+10)

• 62269 (O’Fallon): 1,090 (+193)

• 62282 (St. Libory): 25 (+1)

• 62285 (Smithton): 234 (+33)

MADISON COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 633 new positives (includes 583 new confirmed cases and 50 probable cases, per the county health department), 11 new deaths, 1,814 new tests administered, 301 new recoveries,

Total overall: 10,318 positives, 183 deaths, 123,375 tests administered, 5,058 recoveries, 88 hospitalizations with 11 patients on ventilators

Additional data: New positives include both males and females from below the age of 10 up into their 90s. Of the 583 new positives, 278 were individuals 40 years old or younger.

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 19.2% (+2.9%); 7-day average — 17.1% (+0.8%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 68 (+60)
• 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 1,318 (+141)
• 62010 (Bethalto): 410 (+67)
• 62012 (Godfrey): 27 (+4)
• 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 92 (+5)
• 62021 (Dorsey): 21 (+2)

• 62024 (East Alton): 292 (+41)

• 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 1,325 (+155)
• 62034 (Glen Carbon): 509 (+62)
• 62035 (Godfrey): 798 (+120)
• 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 1,545 (+256)
• 62046 (Hamel): 28 (+5)
• 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 45 (+7)
• 62058 (Livingston): 9 (+9)
• 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 176 (+15)
• 62061 (Marine): 66 (+10)
• 62062 (Maryville): 289 (+57)
• 62067 (Moro): 96 (+21)
• 62074 (New Douglas): 26 (+3)
• 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 55 (+9)
• 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 45 (+11)
• 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 24 (+5)
• 62090 (Madison, Venice): 45 (+5)
• 62095 (Wood River): 343 (+54)
• 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 95 (+14)
• 62201: (Fairmont City, Madison): 8
• 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 1,003 (+146)
• 62249 (Highland): 775 (+121)
• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 33 (+2)
• 62281 (St. Jacob): 116 (+19)
• 62293: (St. Morgan): 20 (+5)
• 62294 (Troy): 570 (+140)

CLINTON COUNTY

Monday’s new data (Nov. 14-16): 100 new positives, 5 new deaths

Total overall: 2,568 positives, 49 deaths, 1,958 recoveries, 11 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 24.2.% (+5.1%); 7-day average — 20.4% (+0.9%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 118 (+22)

• 62216 (Aviston): 283 (+36)

• 62218 (Bartelso): 114 (+7)

• 62230 (Breese): 552 (+74)

• 62231 (Carlyle): 462 (+63)

• 62245 (Germantown): 132 (+21)

• 62265 (New Baden): 226 (+24)

• 62293 (Trenton): 248 (+44)

• 62801 (Centralia): 1,091 (+277)

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 46 new positives, 1 new death

Total overall: 1,827 positives, 23 deaths, 19,523tests performed, 1,579 recoveries, 6 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 17.8% (+0.5%); 7-day average — 14.2% (+1.1%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62217 (Baldwin): 34 (+1)
• 62233 (Chester): 555 (+60)
• 62237 (Coulterville): 106 (+8)
• 62241 (Ellis Grove): 40 (+5)
• 62242 (Evansville): 57 (+8)
• 62272 (Percy): 113 (+12)
• 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 58 (+23)
• 62278 (Red Bud): 377 (+65)
• 62286 (Sparta): 298 (+41)
• 62288 (Steeleville): 210 (+25)
• 62292 (Tilden): 16 (+3)
• 62297 (Walsh): 14 (+3)
• 62916 (Campbell Hill): 39 (+10)

MONROE COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 32 new positives

Total overall: 1,604 positives, 41 deaths, 11 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates as (of Nov. 13): Daily — 25.7% (+11.5%); 7-day average — 20.4% (+3.7%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62236 (Columbia): 618 (+110)
• 62244 (Fults): 33 (+10)
• 62295 (Valmeyer): 69 (+13)
• 62298 (Waterloo): 826 (+141)

BOND COUNTY

Monday’s new data (Nov. 14-16): 40 new positives

Total overall: 809 positives, 11 deaths, 28,019 tests administered, 2 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 38.0% (+33.1%); 7-day average — 18.5% (+2.4%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62086 (Sorento): 50 (+15)

• 62246 (Greenville): 514 (+72)

• 62262 (Mulberry Grove): 86 (+16)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 168 (+27)

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Monday’s new data (Nov. 14-15): 31 new positives, 1 additional patient hospitalized

Total overall: 509 positives, 2 deaths, 413 recoveries, 20 hospitalizations

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 18.5% (-5.8%); 7-day average — 20.7% (+1.5%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 43 (+4)
• 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 213 (+32)
• 62268 (Oakdale): 24 (+5)
• 62271 (Okawville): 75 (+21)
• 62808 (Ashley): 32 (+7)
• 62848 (Irvington): 28 (+5)

MACOUPIN COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 56 new positives, 1 new recovery

Total overall: 1,659 positives, 19 deaths, 634 recoveries

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 19.4% (+0.8%); 7-day average — 16.4% (+0.5%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62009 (Benld, Sawyerville, Mount Clare): 38 (+7)
• 62012 (Brighton): 247 (+45)
• 62014 (Bunker Hill): 90 (+10)

• 62033 (Gillespie): 229 (+51)

• 62063 (Medora, Summerville, Kemper, Rockbridge): 29 (+5)

• 62069 (Mount Olive): 84 (+22)

• 62088 (Staunton): 198 (+19)
• 62626 (Carlinville): 374 (+128)
• 62640 (Girard): 81 (+26)
• 62674 (Palmyra, Barr): 22 (+4)
• 62685 (Royal Lakes, Plainview, Shipman): 58 (+14)
  
  
• 62690 (Virden): 137 (+37)

JERSEY COUNTY

Monday’s new data (Nov. 15-16): 43 new positives, 55 new recoveries, 308 new tests administered

Total overall: 943 positives, 22 deaths, 692 recoveries, 10,581 tests

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 24.6% (+1.7%); 7-day average — 17.3% (+1.3%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62022 (Newbern): 51 (+8)
• 62028 (Elsah): 12
• 62031 (Fieldon): 34 (+12)
• 62037 (Grafton): 96 (+13)
• 62052 (Jerseyville): 592 (+122)

PERRY COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 28 new positives, 35 new recoveries

Total overall: 798 positives, 16 deaths, 565 recoveries

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 14.9 (+7.8%); 7-day average — 14.3% (1.3%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62238 (Cutler): 27 (+5)
• 62274 (Pinckneyville): 259 (+45)
• 62832 (Du Quoin): 346 (+70)
• 62888 (Tamaroa): 67 (+10)
• 62997 (Willisville): 23 (+1)

CALHOUN COUNTY

Monday’s new data (Nov. 14-16): 25 new positives

Total overall: 193 positives, 138 recoveries

Positivity rates (as of Nov. 13): Daily — 8.1% (-10.9%); 7-day average — 9.2% (-0.7%)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62036 (Golden Eagle): 26 (+8)
• 62047 (Hardin): 60 (+12)

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 Monday afternoon:

• Illinois: 585,248 cases, 10,779 deaths, 9,161,453 tests
  
  
• U.S.: 11,405,413 cases, 252,026 deaths, 6,956,262 recoveries
• World: 55,079,109 cases, 1,328,262 deaths, 38,317,724 recoveries

Testing sites in southwestern Illinois

Here are free COVID-19 testing options:

• Tuesday, Nov. 17: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Monroe County Annex, 901 Illinois Ave., Waterloo.
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, 200 S. Belt E. #2650, Belleville.
• Wednesday, Nov. 18: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Monroe County Annex, 901 Illinois Ave., Waterloo.

• Thursday, Nov. 19: 2-6 p.m. at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, 200 S. Belt E. #2650, Belleville.

Additionally, 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.

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 November 16, 2020 at 5:03 PM.