The Thanksgiving spike hasn’t hit yet, but southwest IL hospitals are already crowded

Hospitals across the metro-east and the greater St. Louis metropolitan area remain under intense strain from caring for COVID-19 patients.

State officials say at least 20% of beds should remain open so that hospitals can reasonably handle a surge in patients.

In the metro-east, less than 20% of medical and surgical beds have been available for the past 11 days ending Nov. 28, and less than 20% of intensive care unit beds have been available for the past six days, state data shows.

Region 4 includes St. Clair, Madison, Clinton, Randolph, Monroe, Bond and Washington counties.

A region’s hospital resources are among the metrics Illinois is using to decide whether to tighten or loosen restrictions on when and where people can gather.

Following Thanksgiving, positive case numbers are expected to rise, as many people likely traveled for celebrations, against public health advice.

“For people who may have messed up over Thanksgiving and gotten together with more people than they should have, testing is a good idea,” said St Clair County Chairman Mark Kern during a daily COVID-19 briefing.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported two new hospitalization records Sunday: The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations increased from 884 on Saturday to 897 on Sunday, and the number of inpatient confirmed COVID-19 positive hospitalizations increased from 905 on Saturday to 920 on Sunday.

Additionally, the staffed bed hospital capacity is at 77% and the intensive care units are at 89% of their total staffed bed capacity.

The task force compiles statistics from four health systems: BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health and St. Luke’s Hospital. The statistics include results from BJC HealthCare’s hospitals in the metro-east, including Alton Memorial Hospital, Memorial Hospital in Belleville and Memorial Hospital East in Shiloh.

Illinois reports new cases, deaths Sunday

This information is provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The number in parentheses shows the difference from the previous day’s increase or total.

New cases: 7,178 (-695)

New deaths: 56 (-52)

New tests: 62,740 (-16,315)

Total cases: 720,114

Total deaths: 12,193

Total tests: 10,431,018

Hospitalizations: 5,858 (+83)

People in ICU: 1,185 (-26)

People on ventilators: 723 (+37)

Statewide positivity rate (from Nov. 22–Nov. 28): 10.1% (no change)

Sunday’s COVID-19 breakdown for Region 4

New cases (as of 4:30 p.m. Sunday): 370

New deaths (as of 4:30 p.m. Sunday): 2

Daily positivity rate (as of Thursday): 11% (-4.6%)

Seven-day rolling average positivity rate (as of Thursday): 13.9% (-0.3%)

Regional hospitalizations provided by St. Clair County: 262 (+37)

Regional patients on ventilators: 33 (+9)

Hospital bed availability provided by Illinois (as of Saturday): 13.9% (+0.9%)

ICU bed availability (as of Saturday): 18.8% (+0.7%)

ST. CLAIR COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: 251 positives out of 1,815 tests administered, two deaths

Total overall: 14,783 positives out of 157,147 tests administered, 250 deaths, 12,135 recoveries, 100 patients hospitalized with 7 patients on ventilators

Additional data: New positives include residents who ranged in age from under 10 up to 100.

Congregate living facilities: Mercy Rehab & Care Center Swansea reported one additional case and Cedar Ridge of Lebanon reported six additional cases.

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 12.8% (+0.5%); 7-day average — 13.2% (+0.1%)

MADISON COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: 91 new confirmed and probable cases, 1,011 new tests administered, four new hospitalizations, five fewer patients on ventilators

Total overall: 13,915 positives out of 145,363 tests administered, 251 deaths, 6,669 recoveries, 97 patients hospitalized with 16 patients on ventilators

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 10% (-5.0%); 7-day average — 13.8% (-0.4%)

CLINTON COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Wednesday): 3,109 positives, 55 deaths, 2,390 recoveries, 13 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily —6.6% (-19.3%); 7-day average — 16.5% (-1.2%)

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Friday): 2,200 positives out of 22,365 tests administered, 27 deaths, 1,960 recoveries, 7 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 7.4% (-3.6%); 7-day average — 12.8% (-1.1%)

MONROE COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: 28 positives

Total overall: 2,099 positives, 43 deaths, 9 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates as (of Thursday): Daily — 16% (-3.7%); 7-day average — 14.5% (-0.1%)

BOND COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Wednesday): 952 positives out of 30,585 tests administered, 11 deaths, 2 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 9.4% (-9%); 7-day average — 12.4% (-0.2%)

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Friday): 664 positives, 2 deaths, 539 recoveries, 6 patients hospitalized

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 32% (+5.8%); 7-day average — 26% (+3.1%)

MACOUPIN COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Friday): 2,291 positives, 23 deaths, 759 recoveries

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 11% (+4.4%); 7-day average — 10% (+0.4%)

JERSEY COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Friday): 1,209 positives out of 12,778 tests administered, 22 deaths, 985 recoveries

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 8.9% (+1.4%); 7-day average — 12.2% (-1%)

PERRY COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Wednesday): 1,051 positives, 20 deaths, 736 recoveries

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 11.2% (-6%); 7-day average — 17.7% (+0.5)

CALHOUN COUNTY

Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 4:30 p.m.

Total overall (as of Tuesday): 240 positives, 1 death, 184 recoveries

Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 0% (-6.3%); 7-day average — 7.8% (-2%)

Editor’s note: The number of new COVID-19 cases for ZIP codes in each county are reported on Mondays. Information comes from county sources and the IDPH website.

State, nation, world COVID-19 statistics

Here are the latest available statistics from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus map as of Sunday afternoon:

• Illinois: 720,114 cases, 12,193 deaths, 10,431,018 tests
  
  
• U.S.: 13,343,698 cases, 266,778 deaths, 5,024,365 recoveries
  
  
• World: 62,591,535 cases, 1,457,859 deaths, 40,016,926 recoveries
  
  

Testing sites in southwestern Illinois

Here are some upcoming coronavirus testing options:

• Monday, Nov. 30: 4601 State St., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 4601 State St., East St. Louis

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.