St. Clair County hits another record of patients hospitalized with COVID-19
St. Clair County reported 125 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on Sunday, a record number. It’s the highest number of hospitalizations since Dec. 20 when the county reported 119 patients. The hospitals include Memorial Hospital Belleville, Memorial Hospital East in Shiloh, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon and Touchette Regional Hospital in Centreville.
Two days ago, the county set a new record for COVID-19 cases in a single day with 306 cases reported on New Year’s Day.
“As we said, the high positivity rates, they’re a leading indicator that really showed us that this was going to happen, so that’s why it’s important we get those positivity rates down to make sure that the hospitals don’t fill up to a point where patients can’t be handled,” Board Chairman Mark Kern said during St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency’s daily coronavirus livestream on Sunday.
On Sunday, the county reported a daily positivity rate of 15.5%, down from 15.6% on Saturday. Additionally, the county’s seven-day rolling average was 14.1%, down from 14.6% on Saturday. Kern said the slight decrease isn’t indicative of a step in the right direction in containing coronavirus.
“Being down is really no consolation,” Kern said. “These numbers are just way too high.”
The positivity rate for the metro east saw a slight increase on Sunday. The daily positivity rate increased to 13.1%, up from 12.6% on Saturday, and the seven-day rolling average positivity rate increased to 13%, up from 12.8% on Saturday.
The state implemented Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions for all regions on 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.
For mitigations to be loosened, 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. Officials urged residents to continue to follow restrictions and socially distance before cases worsen in the area.
“The fallout from the holidays is not looking good at all,” St. Clair County Director Herb Simmons said. “We’re eight days (since) Christmas, but we had New Year’s (Eve) right here ... this isn’t about a popularity contest. This is about public safety. This is about people’s lives.
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.
State of Illinois announces new cases, deaths
The state of Illinois announced 4,469 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 979,821. The state health department also announced 81 additional deaths to bring the total to 16,755 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 45,465 new tests have been administered for a total of 13,482,117.
As of Sunday, when the latest data was available, 3,817 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 798 patients were in the ICU and 462 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a percent of total tests from Dec. 27-Jan. 2 is 9.6%.
Sunday’s breakdown for Region 4
New cases (as of 6:30 p.m.): 243 in St. Clair, Madison and Monroe counties (-285; Saturday’s report included data from Randolph County)
New deaths (as of 6:30 p.m. ): Three
Daily positivity rate (as of Thursday): 13.1% (+0.5)
Seven-day rolling average positivity rate (as of Thursday): 13% (+0.2)
Regional hospitalizations: 194 (+12) (provided by St. Clair County)
Regional patients on ventilators: 16 (+1) (provided by St. Clair County)
Hospital bed availability: 16% (+1.1)
ICU bed availability: 25.6% (+1.3)
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
Sunday’s new data: 116 new positives, 749 new tests administered, 199 new recoveries, 8 new patients hospitalized
Total overall: 21,541 positives, 330 deaths, 212,005 tests administered, 19,449 recoveries, 125 patients hospitalized with 12 patients on ventilators
Additional data: Individuals who tested positives ranged from under the age of 10 to their 80s. Of the 116 new positives, 60 individuals were under the age of 50.
Congregate living facilities: Knollwood Retirement Center in Caseyville reported one new case, Brightly Senior Living in Mascoutah reported one new case and Cedar Trails in Freeburg reported one new case.
Positivity rates: Daily — 15.5% (-0.1); seven-day average — 14.1% (-0.5.)
MADISON COUNTY
Sunday’s new data: 114 new positives, 861 new tests administered, 3 new deaths, 48 recoveries, 4 hospitalizations
Total overall: 21,094 positives, 372 deaths, 195,936 tests administered, 20,226 recoveries, 48 patients hospitalized with four patients on ventilators
Additional data: Individuals who tested positive ranged from under the age of 1 to their 80s. Of the 114 new positives, 77 individuals were under the age of 50.
Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 12.3% (-1.2); 7-day average — 12.9% (-0.1)
CLINTON COUNTY
Sunday’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 Thursday): Daily — 6.4% (-11.5); 7-day average — 10.7% (-1.1)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Sunday’s new data: no new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 3,367 positives, 53 deaths, 3,149 recoveries, four patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 11.8% (+0.8); 7-day average — 13.5% (no change)
MONROE COUNTY
Sunday’s new data: 13 new positives, 2 hospitalizations
Total overall: 3,229 positives, 59 deaths, 28 patients hospitalized
Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 21.8% (+7); seven-day average — 14.1% (-0.2)
BOND COUNTY
Sunday’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 Thursday): Daily — 4.2% (-8.2); seven-day average — 10.3% (+0.2)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Sunday’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 — 20% (-5.6); 7-day average — 25.1% (+0.2)
MACOUPIN COUNTY
Sunday’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 Thursday): Daily — 5.4% (-3.3); 7-day average — 8.3% (-0.2)
JERSEY COUNTY
Sunday’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 Thursday): Daily — 7.7% (+2.1); 7-day average — 11.4% (-1.2)
PERRY COUNTY
Sunday’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 Thursday): Daily — 29% (+13.5); 7-day average — 16.4% (+1.9)
CALHOUN COUNTY
Sunday’s new data: No new data as of 6:30 p.m.
Total overall: 404 positives, three deaths, 372 recoveries
Positivity rates (as of Thursday): Daily — 13.3% (-6.7); 7-day average — 17.4% (+0.3)
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 Sunday night
- Illinois: 979,821 cases, 16,755 deaths, 13,482,117 tests
- U.S.: 20,495,829 cases, 351,060 deaths, 12,404,823 recoveries
- World: 84,898,547 cases, 1,840,268 deaths, 47,756,782 recoveries
Testing sites in southwestern Illinois
Here are some upcoming coronavirus testing options:
- 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.
