Illinois COVID cases continue to rise on Christmas, but southwest region has limited data
Limited data about COVID-19 cases in Region 4 were available on Friday, Christmas Day. As of 4 p.m., only Monroe County reported local data: 27 new cases.
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.
While St. Clair County didn’t have new data to share Friday, the Emergency Management Agency still delivered its daily press briefing on Facebook Live.
St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said the coronavirus vaccination was a light at the end of the tunnel, but that we aren’t “out of the woods yet.”
Two vaccines have been endorsed by the FDA, from Pfizer and Moderna. Frontline workers in hospitals started receiving the first round of vaccinations last week.
Kern said he plans to get vaccinated when it’s available to him, adding that if federal, state and local health officials say it’s safe that is “good enough for me.”
“It’s still a chore to get everybody vaccinated, and then there’s a percentage of those people who don’t want to get it because they’re skeptical,” said St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons.
St. Clair and Madison Counties said they would not have updated data on Friday.
Illinois reports new cases, deaths Friday
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: 5,742 (-1,295)
New deaths: 156 (+60)
New tests: 98,958 (+4,049)
Total cases: 930,849
Total deaths: 15,799
Total tests: 12,881,938
Hospitalizations: 4,352 (-136)
People in ICU: 928 (-16)
People on ventilators: 538 (+20)
Statewide positivity rate (from Dec. 18-24): 7.1% (-0.1%)
Thursday’s breakdown for Region 4
New cases (as of 4 p.m. on Friday, only Monroe County reporting): 27 (-501)
New deaths (as of 4 p.m. on Friday, only Monroe County reporting): 0 (-3)
Daily positivity rate (as of Tuesday): 10.6% (-3.0%)
Seven-day rolling average positivity rate (as of Tuesday): 11.7% (+0.1%)
Regional hospitalizations: 189 (-5) (provided by St. Clair County)
Regional patients on ventilators: 15 (no change) (provided by St. Clair County)
Hospital bed availability: 15.9% (+0.5%)
ICU bed availability: 17.7% (-0.5%)
New cases from nearby counties outside Region 4 (as of 4 p.m.): 0 (no change)
New deaths from nearby counties outside Region 4 (as of 4 p.m.): 0 (no change)
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data available Friday
Total overall: 19,779 positives, 306 deaths, 199,214 tests administered, 17,849 recoveries, 112 patients hospitalized with nine patients on ventilators
Additional data: No new data available Friday
Congregate living facilities: No changes.
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 9.5% (-2.2%); 7-day average — 10.2% (+0.1%)
MADISON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data posted Friday
Total overall: 19,585 positives, 350 deaths, 184,259 tests administered, 10,574 recoveries, 52 patients hospitalized with five patients on ventilators
Additional data: No new data posted Friday
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 9.7% (-2.1%); 7-day average — 12.3% (-0.2%)
CLINTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 4,267 positives, 75 deaths, 3,695 recoveries, 13 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 13.5% (-1.8%); 7-day average — 12.0% (-0.2%)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 3,163 positives, 43 deaths, 2,865 recoveries, five patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 13.0% (-7.7%); 7-day average — 12.8% (+0.6%)
MONROE COUNTY
Friday’s new data: 27 new positives
Total overall:: 2,971 positives, 56 deaths, 25 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 9.4% (-1.6%); 7-day average — 14.0% (+0.3%)
BOND COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 1,595 positives, 16 deaths, 34,922 tests administered
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 27.2% (-9.2%); 7-day average — 14.2% (+2.4%)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 1,116 positives, 19 deaths, 964 recoveries, two patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 9.9% (-8.7%); 7-day average — 13.5% (-1.9%)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 3,239 positives, 79 deaths, 1,326 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 9.5% (+3.4%); 7-day average — 8.0% (-0.4%)
JERSEY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 1,823 positives, 26 deaths, 17,213 tests administered, 1,636 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 9.6% (-3.4%); 7-day average — 10.2% (no change)
PERRY COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 1,981 positives, 47 deaths, 1,492 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Monday): Daily — 21.8% (+3.9%); 7-day average — 22.3% (+0.6%)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Friday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 381 positives, three deaths, 355 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Tuesday): Daily — 57.1% (+57.1%); 7-day average — 9.6% (+1.7%)
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 Friday afternoon:
- Illinois: 930,849 cases, 15,799 deaths, 12,881,938 tests
- U.S.: 18,748,629 cases, 330,034 deaths, 11,101,866 recoveries
- World: 79,712,010 cases, 1,748,715 deaths, 44,932,522 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
Here are some upcoming coronavirus testing options:
- Saturday, Dec. 26: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, 200 S. Belt East, #2650.
Monday, Dec. 28: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Monroe County Annex, 901 Illinois Ave., Waterloo
- Wednesday, Dec. 30: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Monroe County Annex, 901 Illinois Ave., Waterloo
- Thursday, Dec. 31: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, 200 S. Belt E. #2650
- Saturday, Jan. 2: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center, 200 S. Belt East, #2650
- Every Tuesday and Thursday: 9-11 a.m. COVID-19 rapid testing at the Clinton County Fairgrounds, 1899 Methodist St., Carlyle
The testing site at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis has been moved to St. Clair Square mall, behind Dillards. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. It’s a drive-thru with four tents, allowing people to stay in their cars.
The Illinois Department of Public Health will continue to deploy mobile testing teams to locations in East St. Louis, including to 4601 State St., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Sunday and Monday. Capacity is limited, and hours of operation are subject to change based on available equipment.
In addition, St. Clair County hosted a “soft opening” of its new service center on Tuesday at 330 W. Main St. in Belleville. Here are the available testing dates and times:
- Monday, Dec. 28; Tuesday, Dec. 29; and Wednesday, Dec. 30 (holiday hours): 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The regular hours for the location starting Monday, Jan. 4, will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday; and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.
“To get the new location at the old bank building up and going within about a five- or six-week time, it’s remarkable the job everyone has done,” Simmons said. “It’s going to be great to have a central location that is being used for a testing site and once the vaccine gets in place, it’s going to really be great. I think it’s really going to be a smooth operation that we can all be happy it came together so quickly.”
Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation offer daily testing in Belleville and Wood River. Call 618-646-2596 for an appointment.
