People under 40 in St. Clair County account for half of new COVID-19 cases on Saturday
People under the age of 40 continue to be the primary spreaders of COVID-19 in the metro-east, St. Clair County officials said Saturday.
Of the 265 new cases announced Saturday in the county, nearly half were among people under 40. People in their 20s made up the largest portion at 16.6% followed by people in their 30s, who accounted for roughly 14%. In Madison County, people in their 20s made up 21.5% of new reported cases.
“They’re very active. They’re out in the community. Some of these folks I’m sure don’t even realize that they have it and they’re spreading it around to the rest of us,” said St. Clair County Health Department Executive Director Barb Hohlt. “So, we need to just make sure that we do the right thing.”
While younger people are less likely to become seriously ill, they could spread it to more vulnerable people such as the elderly or those with underlying health conditions. In Illinois, those over 80 accounted for 48.6% of COVID-related deaths, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Hohlt urged metro-east residents to get tested for COVID-19 even if they aren’t showing any symptoms so people who are carrying the disease asymptomatically know when to quarantine.
The county, which recorded its first coronavirus case in March, reported one additional COVID-related death on Saturday, a woman in her 70s with unknown underlying conditions. St. Clair County has had 330 virus-related deaths during the pandemic.
In Madison County, four people died: three men in their 60s, 70s and 90s, and a woman in her 90s.
Monroe County reported the death of a man in his 90s who lived in a long-term care facility.
The positivity rate in coronavirus tests in the metro-east stayed roughly the same Saturday after several days of increases, according to statistics released Saturday. The latest rate is 12.8%, which was recorded on Wednesday. This rate was up from 12.7% recorded on Tuesday. The last day the rate was below 12% was on Christmas Day, when it was at 11.7%.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus patients hospitalized in the region increased by 14 to 182 on Saturday.
The percentage of the metro-east’s staffed hospital beds available for patients increased from 13.4% to 14.9%, while the percentage of staffed ICU beds available was listed at 24.3%, up from 21.3%.
For Tier 3 mitigation metrics to be relaxed or to move to Tier 2, the region must experience a less than 12% seven-day rolling average testing positivity rate for three consecutive days while also seeing 20% available intensive care unit and medical/surgical bed availability for three consecutive days.
Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions went into place statewide on Nov. 20. The third tier tightens restrictions on indoor dining, bars and social gatherings while adding restrictions to casinos, retailers, video gaming and museums.
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.
Additionally, the region had a daily positivity rate of 13.3%, down from 15.1%.
State of Illinois announces new cases, deaths
The state of Illinois announced 4,762 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 975,352. The state health department also announced 29 additional deaths to bring the total to 16,674 since the pandemic began.
Numbers could be artificially low due to local health departments not reporting on holidays, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Also within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 61,987 new tests have been administered for a total of 13,436,652.
As of Saturday, when the latest data was available, 3,799 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 783 patients were in the ICU and 458 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a percent of total tests from Dec. 26-Jan. 1 is 8.3%.
Saturday’s breakdown for Region 4
New cases (as of 6:30 p.m. p.m.): 528 (+41) in St. Clair, Madison, Monroe and Randolph counties
New deaths (as of 6:30 p.m. p.m.): Six
Daily positivity rate (as of Wednesday): 12.6% (-0.7)
Seven-day rolling average positivity rate (as of Wednesday): 12.8% (+0.1)
Regional hospitalizations: 182 (+14) (provided by St. Clair County)
Regional patients on ventilators: 15 (-1) (provided by St. Clair County)
Hospital bed availability: 14.9% (+1.5)
ICU bed availability: 24.3% (+3)
New cases from nearby counties outside Region 4 (as of 6:30 p.m.): No new data
New deaths from nearby counties outside Region 4 (as of 6:30 p.m.): No new data
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 265 new positives, one new death, 1,696 new tests administered, 116 new recoveries, 13 new patients hospitalized, one new patient on a ventilator
Total overall: 21,425 positives, 330 deaths, 211,256 tests administered, 19,250 recoveries, 117 patients hospitalized with 13 patients on ventilators
Additional data: Individuals who tested positives ranged from under the age of 10 to their 80s. Of the 265 new positives, 129 individuals were under the age of 40.
Congregate living facilities: Aperion Care Mascoutah reported one new case; Freeburg Care Center reported 14 new cases.
Positivity rates: Daily — 15.6% (-2.3); seven-day average — 14.6% (+1.3)
MADISON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 181 new positives, 18 probable cases, four new deaths, 1,502 new tests administered, 61 new recoveries, no change in hospitalizations, two fewer patients on ventilators
Total overall: 20,980 positives, 369 deaths, 195,075 tests administered, 20,226 recoveries, 44 patients hospitalized with two patients on ventilators
Additional data: Individuals who tested positive ranged from under the age of 1 to their 80s. Of the 181 new positives, 159 individuals were under the age of 40.
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 13.5% (-4.5); 7-day average — 14.1% (+0.9)
CLINTON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 4,485 positives, 75 deaths, 4,014 recoveries, nine patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 17.9 (+7.2); 7-day average — 11.8% (+2.2)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 41 new cases, 90 new recoveries, no new deaths or hospitalizations
Total overall: 3,367 positives, 53 deaths, 3,149 recoveries, four patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 11% (+1.2); 7-day average — 13.5% (+0.5%)
MONROE COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: 40 new positives, one new death
Total overall: 3,216 positives, 59 deaths, 26 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 14.8 (+4.7); seven-day average — 14.3% (+0.2)
BOND COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 1,642 positives, 16 deaths, 35,055 tests administered
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 12.4% (-0.8); seven-day average — 10.1% (+0.9)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 1,205 positives, 21 deaths, 1,081 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 25.6% (3.9); 7-day average — 24.9% (+2.5)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 3,428 positives, 85 deaths, 1,760 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 8.7% (-4); 7-day average — 8.5% (+0.6)
JERSEY COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 1,972 positives, 30 deaths, 18,750 tests administered, 1,972 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 5.6% (-3.8); 7-day average — 12.6% (+1.2)
PERRY COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 2,249 positives, 48 deaths, 1,812 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 15.5% (+6.5); 7-day average — 14.5% (+1)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Saturday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 404 positives, three deaths, 372 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Wednesday): Daily — 20% (+13.9); 7-day average — 17.1% (+2.1)
Editor’s note: The number of new COVID-19 cases for ZIP codes in each county is 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 Saturday night:
- Illinois: 975,352 cases, 16,674 deaths, 13,436,652 tests
- U.S.: 20,353,421 cases, 349,709 deaths, 11,998,794 recoveries as of Saturday
- World: 84,459,394 cases, 1,833,849 deaths, 47,510,314 recoveries as of Saturday
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
Here are some upcoming coronavirus testing options:
- Sunday, Jan. 3: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McKendree University, 701 College Road, Lebanon
- Sunday, Jan. 3: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4601 State St., East St. Louis
- Tuesday, Jan. 5: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Clyde C. Jordan Senior Center, 6755 State St, East St Louis
- Every Tuesday and Thursday: 9-11 a.m. COVID-19 rapid testing at the Clinton County Fairgrounds, 1899 Methodist St., Carlyle
Monday, Jan 4. and Wednesday, Jan. 6: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bond County Fairgrounds in Greenville
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. Hohlt said that facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, and Sunday, Jan. 3 as well.
St. Clair County hosted a “soft opening” of its new service center Dec. 22 at 330 W. Main St. in Belleville. The regular hours for the location starting Monday, Jan. 4, will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays; and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays.
Additionally, the Monroe County Health Department will have a drive-thru COVID vaccination clinic for Monroe County health care workers with direct patient contact from noon to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4, at the Monroe County Fairgrounds, 4177 Illinois 156, Waterloo.
Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation also offer daily testing in Belleville and Wood River. Call 618-646-2596 for an appointment.
This story was originally published January 2, 2021 at 5:43 PM.
