St. Clair County COVID death toll surpasses 400, 77 reported in January alone
As of Wednesday, St. Clair County has had more than 400 residents die from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, officials say.
Officials in the county announced eight individuals died of the respiratory disease Wednesday, tying the county’s third-highest daily death count and bringing St. Clair’s total to 406. In the month of January alone, the county has reported 77 deaths.
St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern lamented the deaths during a daily briefing on COVID-19, reminding viewers to wear a mask, wash their hands and use social distance even as the COVID-19 vaccination of the population continues.
“Those deaths today — it’s a terrible number,” Kern said. ”We have had 406 deaths over the past 320 days. It’s something no one ever would have thought was possible but it’s here.”
Among those whose deaths were reported Wednesday were two men in their 50s, a man in his 70s and two women in their 80s, all of whom had underlying health conditions. A man in his 70s and a man and a woman in their 90s also died and had unknown health conditions.
The state of Illinois reported 81 new COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, bringing the state’s total to 18,964.
County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said the deaths of two 50-year-old individuals today are a reminder that the virus can kill anyone.
He added that the vaccination process is ongoing in St. Clair County and throughout the state. Currently, more than 49,000 people in the county have signed up through the county website to be notified when they are eligible to receive their first vaccine dose, Simmons added.
“We’re heading in the right direction, we just have to keep it going,” Simmons said.
As of Wednesday, 10,712 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the county and 1,921 people had been fully vaccinated, or 0.74% of the county’s population.