Southwestern Illinois COVID-19 case rate drops to levels not seen since June

The rate of new COVID-19 cases in the metro-east dropped again Monday, marking a new low since mid-June.

On Monday the Illinois Department of Public Health reported the region’s COVID-19 seven-day average positivity rate was 3.8%, down slightly from 3.9% on Sunday. The rate remains below the 6% threshold set by the state that helps determine if COVID-19 mitigation efforts used to slow the spread of the virus need to be increased or relaxed and is the lowest the rate has been since June 25. The rate has been below 6% for 27 straight days.

Overall, the rate has been steadily dropping since the start of the new year. On Jan 1. , the regional average case rate stood at 13.5%.

The region also reported a daily positivity rate of 6.0% on Monday, up sharply from 3.3% on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the availability of intensive care unit beds increased slightly from 27% on Sunday to 29% on Monday.

On Thursday, Feb. 4, state health officials announced they were easing indoor dining and other restrictions in the metro-east, moving the region from Tier 2 to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan effective immediately. Additional information about which tier and phase regions are in can be found at the top of the IDPH website homepage.

Phase 4 guidelines include the following:

• Restaurants and bars: Indoor dining and drinking now permitted for parties of up to 10 people. Seated areas should be arranged so that tables allow for 6 feet between parties; impermeable barriers may be installed between booths that are less than 6 feet apart.
• Retail and service counter: Continue capacity limit of no more than 50% occupancy.
• Personal care: Continue capacity limit of no more than 50% occupancy.
• Indoor/outdoor recreation: Reopening select indoor recreation facilities (e.g., bowling alleys, skating rinks); indoor playgrounds and trampoline parks should remain closed; indoor recreation to operate at lesser of 50 customers or 50% of facility capacity.
• Museums: Capacity limit of no more than 25% occupancy; guided tours should be limited to 50 or fewer people per group.
• Meetings and social events: Limit to the lesser of 50 people or 50% of room capacity; multiple groups may meet in the same facility if they are socially distanced and in separate rooms.

The region had to meet the following metrics to move to Tier 1:

• Test positivity rate between 6.5% and 8% for three consecutive days on a seven-day average.
• Staffed ICU bed availability must be at 20% or more for three consecutive days on a seven-day average.
• No sustained increase in COVID patients in the hospital on a seven-day average for seven of 10 days.

The metro-east, or Region 4, consists of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington counties.

A region’s positivity rate is its percentage of positive COVID-19 tests versus the number of tests taken over a seven-day period.

Metro-east vaccine update

On Monday, the state also reported more than 33,000 individuals have been fully vaccinated in the metro-east.

According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health on Monday, Region 4 counties have administered 142,599 vaccinations and fully vaccinated 33,114 people.

St. Clair County had administered the most vaccines in the region with a total of 59,532 as of Monday and fully vaccinated the most people with a total of 13,467. Madison County had administered 51,741 doses and fully vaccinated 10,548 people as of Monday.

Vaccinations of healthcare workers and others in the 1A vaccinations group began in mid-December and have been ongoing.

Vaccinations in Phase 1B are by appointment only at some pharmacies, as well as state-run and locally-run clinics. More detailed information about locations will be announced at coronavirus.illinois.gov.

Here’s how you can let your county health department know you are interested in setting up a COVID-19 vaccine appointment when you become eligible:

• St. Clair County: Fill out the COVID-19 Notification for Vaccine Availability form online at health.co.st-clair.il.us. (If you don’t have internet access or need help signing up, call the health department at 618-825-4447.)
• Madison County: Schedule an appointment with the Madison County Health Department at their website: https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/health/
• Clinton County: Fill out the Clinton County, IL Health Department COVID-19 Vaccine Registry online at clintoncountyhealth.com or call the health department at 618-594-6622 to be added to the vaccine waitlist. (The waitlist is currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older. You don’t need to fill out the form if you already called to get on the waitlist.)
• Monroe County: Sign up for the phone and email alert system CodeRED.
• Randolph County: Call the health department at 618-826-5007 or fill out one of the following vaccine waiting lists: Memorial Hospital COVID-19 Vaccination Sign-Up online at mhchester.com/covidvax; or Red Bud Regional Hospital’s COVID-19 Vaccine Waiting List online at redbudanytime.com. (The waitlists are currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older.)
• Bond County: Fill out the Bond County, IL Health Department COVID-19 Vaccine Registry online at bchd.us to be added to the vaccine waitlist. (The waitlist is currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older, health care workers and frontline essential workers, including teachers, first responders and grocery store employees. You do not need to fill out the form if you already called the health department to get on the waitlist.)
• Washington County: Call the health department at 618-327-3644 to be added to the vaccine waitlist. (The waitlist is currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older.)

State of Illinois vaccine update Monday

A total of 2,740,105 vaccine doses have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 443,700 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities.

This brings the total Illinois doses to 3,183,805. A total of 2,756,831 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of midnight, including 319,393 for long-term care facilities. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 77,876 doses. Sunday, 50,897 doses were administered in Illinois.

Meanwhile, the state reported Monday that 835,597 people — roughly 6.56% of its population — have been fully vaccinated.

For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.

Illinois announces new cases, deaths

The state of Illinois announced 1,143 new COVID-19 cases Monday, bringing the total to 1,187,839 since the pandemic began nearly a year ago. The state health department also announced 20 additional deaths making a new total of 20,536 deaths.

Also within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 42,234 new tests have been administered for a total of 18,178,487.

As of Sunday, when the latest data was available, 1,288 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 308 patients were in the ICU, and 148 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests from Feb. 22-28 was 2.4%.

Monday’s breakdown for Region 4

New cases: 118

New deaths: 0

Total vaccine doses administered (as of Sunday): 142,599 (+4,308)

Daily positivity rate (as of Friday): 3.7% (+0.3)

7-day average positivity rate (as of Friday): 3.8% (-0.1)

Regional hospitalizations: 92 (+12) (provided by St. Clair County)

Regional patients on ventilators: 7 (+1) (provided by St. Clair County)

ICU bed availability (as of Sunday): 29% (+2.0)

ST. CLAIR COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 76 new positives, 1 new death, 745 new tests administered, 64 new recoveries, 3 fewer patients hospitalized

Total overall: 28,066 positives, 446 deaths, 286,523 tests administered, 27,081 recoveries, 47 patients hospitalized with 2 patients on ventilators.

Vaccines administered: 1,443 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 59,532

% of population fully vaccinated: 5.16%

Additional data: People who tested positive ranged from under the age of 10 to their 70s. Of the 76 new positives, 25 were under the age of 40.

Congregate living facilities: Mar Ka Nursing and Rehab reported 1 new case and St. Paul’s Home in Belleville reported 2 new cases.

Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 5.8% (+2.6); 7-day average — 3.7% (+0.2)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62059 (Brooklyn): 37 (no change)

• 62201 (East St. Louis): 560 (+3)

• 62203 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Washington Park, Caseyville): 596 (+6)

• 62204 (East St. Louis): 383 (+11)

• 62205 (East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville): 625 (+10)

• 62206 (East St. Louis, Cahokia): 1,260 (+10)

• 62207 (East St. Louis, Centreville, Alorton): 574 (+13)

• 62208 (Fairview Heights): 1,577 (+23)

• 62220 (Belleville, Smithton): 1,998 (+27)

• 62221 (Belleville): 2,699 (+47)

• 62223 (Belleville, Swansea): 1,694 (+31)

• 62225 (Scott Air Force Base): 137 (+3)

• 62226 (Belleville, Swansea): 3,098 (+60)

• 62232 (Fairview Heights, Caseyville): 872 (+12)

• 62239 (Dupo): 451 (+16)

• 62240 (Dupo): 153 (+2)

• 62243 (Freeburg): 744 (+15)

• 62254 (Lebanon): 787 (+7)

• 62255 (Lenzburg): 77 (no change)

• 62257 (Marissa): 337 (+2)

• 62258 (Mascoutah, Fayetteville) 1,016 (+18)

• 62260 (Millstadt): 767 (+4)

• 62264 (New Athens): 345 (+1)

• 62269 (O’Fallon): 3,168 (+47)

• 62282 (St. Libory): 63 (no change)

• 62285 (Smithton): 554 (+15)

• 62289 (Summerfield): 47 (no change)

MADISON COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 33 new positives (26 confirmed, 7 probable), 589 new tests administered

Total overall: 27,545 positives, 459 deaths, 262,136 tests administered, 25,461 recoveries, 29 patients hospitalized with 4 patients on ventilators.

Vaccines administered: 1,918 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 51,741

% of population fully vaccinated: 3.99%

Additional data: No new data as of 4 p.m.

Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 3.5% (-3.3); 7-day average — 5.7% (-0.5)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62040 (Granite City, Pontoon Beach): 3,859 (+61)
• 62025 (Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Pontoon Beach, Roxana): 3,397 (+34)
• 62002 (Alton, East Alton, Godfrey): 3,136 (+41)

• 62234 (Collinsville, Pontoon Beach, State Park Place): 2,861 (+48)

• 62249 (Highland): 1,966 (+17)

• 62035 (Godfrey): 1,827 (+21)

• 62294 (Troy): 1,756 (+21)
• 62034 (Glen Carbon): 1,326 (+21)
• 62010 (Bethalto): 1,236 (+14)
• 62095 (Wood River): 1,115 (+8)
• 62062 (Maryville): 936 (+7)
• 62024 (East Alton): 832 (+6)

• 62281 (St. Jacob): 376 (+5)

• 62060 (Granite City, Madison, Venice): 38 (no change)

• 62097 (Prairietown, Worden): 273 (+3)

• 62067 (Moro): 285 (+2)
  
  
• 62018 (Alton, Bethalto, East Alton): 269 (+2)
  
  

• 62061 (Marine): 200 (no change)

• 62001 (Kaufman, Alhambra): 170 (+1)

• 62087 (Edwardsville, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford): 157 (+2)

• 62084 (Edwardsville, Wood River, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana): 145 (+2)
• 62048 (Edwardsville, Granite City, Roxana, Hartford): 126 (+1)
• 62046 (Hamel): 106 (no change)
  
  

• 62090 (Madison, Venice): 80 (no change)

• 62021 (Dorsey): 72 (no change)

• 62088 (Staunton, Livingston, Williamson): 67 (no change)

• 62074 (New Douglas): 76 (no change)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley, Jamestown): 53 (no change)

• 62058 (Livingston): 58 (+1)

• 62012 (Godfrey): 55 (+2)
  
  
• 62293: (St. Morgan): 26 (no change)
• 62201: (Fairmont City, Madison): 11 (no change)

CLINTON COUNTY

Monday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.

Total overall: 5,556 positives, 89 deaths, 5,420 recoveries, 4 patients hospitalized

Vaccines administered: 155 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 9,927

% of population fully vaccinated: 8.64%

Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 1.1% (-0.2); 7-day average — 1.9% (+0.2)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62215 (Albers, Damiansville): 258 (no change)

• 62216 (Aviston): 569 (+4)

• 62218 (Bartelso): 270 (+1)

• 62230 (Breese): 1,149 (+4)

• 62231 (Carlyle): 1,020 (+2)

• 62245 (Germantown): 265 (no change)

• 62265 (New Baden): 531 (+5)

• 62293 (Trenton): 593 (+1)

• 62801 (Centralia): 2,496 (+12)

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 6 new positives

Total overall: 3,982 positives, 82 deaths, 3,886 recoveries, 3 patients hospitalized

Vaccines administered: 17 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 7,586

% of population fully vaccinated: 8.09%

Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 0.5% (-0.2); 7-day average — 1.2% (-0.2)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62217 (Baldwin): 82 (no change)
• 62233 (Chester): 1,036 (+3)
• 62237 (Coulterville): 308 (+2)
• 62241 (Ellis Grove): 113 (+1)
• 62242 (Evansville): 143 (+1)
• 62272 (Percy): 192 (no change)
• 62277 (Prairie Du Rocher): 116 (no change)
• 62278 (Red Bud): 988 (+5)
• 62286 (Sparta): 747 (+2)
• 62288 (Steeleville): 407 (+2)
• 62292 (Tilden): 55 (no change)
• 62297 (Walsh): 38 (no change)
• 62916 (Campbell Hill): 92 (no change)

MONROE COUNTY

Monday’s new data: No new data.

Total overall: 4,089 positives, 93 deaths, 19 patients hospitalized

Vaccines administered: 242 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 7,337

% of population fully vaccinated: 4.92%

Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 5.9% (+2.1); 7-day average — 3.8% (+0.1)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62236 (Columbia): 1,559 (+21)
• 62244 (Fults): 98 (+1)
• 62295 (Valmeyer): 159 (+2)
• 62298 (Waterloo): 2,087 (+16)

BOND COUNTY

Monday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.

Total overall: 2,057 positives, 21 deaths, 43,408 tests administered

Vaccines administered: 5 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 3,286

% of population fully vaccinated: 4.62%

Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 1.1% (0.7); 7-day average — 1.7% (+0.2)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62086 (Sorento): 121 (no change)

• 62246 (Greenville): 1,180(+13)

• 62262 (Mulberry Grove): 224 (no change)

• 62275 (Pocahontas, Old Ripley): 382 (+10)

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Monday’s new data: 3 new positives

Total overall: 1,593 positives, 27 deaths, 1,559 recoveries

Vaccines administered: 135 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 3,190

% of population fully vaccinated: 5.66%

Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 8.3% (-0.5); 7-day average — 6.1% (-0.3)

ZIP codes with positives:

• 62214 (Venedy, Addieville): 128 (+2)
• 62263 (Nashville, New Minden): 678 (+7)
• 62268 (Oakdale): 63 (no change)
• 62271 (Okawville): 211 (+1)
• 62808 (Ashley): 151 (no change)
  
  
• 62848 (Irvington): 59 (no change)

Editor’s note: The number of new COVID-19 cases by ZIP code in each county is reported on Mondays and shows the increase for the past week. Information comes from county sources and the Illinois Department of Public Health website.

Illinois reports new COVID cases, deaths Monday

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 of COVID-19: 1,143 (-106)

New deaths: 20 (-2)

New COVID-19 tests: 42,234 (-24,266)

Total cases: 1,187,839

Total deaths: 20,536

Total tests: 18,178,487

Total Illinoisans fully vaccinated against COVID-19: 835,597 (+21,356) — or 6.56% of the population

Total vaccine doses administered: 2,756,831 (+50,897)

Hospitalizations: 1,288 (+23)

People in ICU: 308 (+5)

People on ventilators: 148 (-2)

Statewide positivity rate (from Feb. 22-28): 2.4% (no change)

Nation, world COVID-19 statistics

Here are the latest available statistics from the Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus map as of Monday afternoon:

• U.S.: 29,210,342 cases, 524,843 deaths, 19,632,668 recoveries
• World: 114,553,028 cases, 2,540,283 deaths, 90,051,838 recoveries

Testing sites in southwestern Illinois

Here are some upcoming coronavirus testing options:

• Every Tuesday and Thursday: 9-11 a.m. COVID-19 rapid testing at the Clinton County Fairgrounds, 1899 Methodist St., Carlyle.
  
  

The Illinois Department of Public Health will continue to deploy mobile testing teams to locations in East St. Louis, including 4601 State St., 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.

The testing site at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis has been moved to St. Clair Square mall, in the parking lot behind Dillards. It’s open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. It’s a drive-thru with four tents, allowing people to stay in their cars.

St. Clair County has a service center at 330 W. Main St. in Belleville. Its regular hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays; and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays.

Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation also offer daily testing in Wood River. Call 618-646-2596 for an appointment.

COVID-19 definition key

• Region 4: The state-defined metro-east region includes St. Clair, Madison, Clinton, Monroe, Randolph, Bond and Washington counties.
• Daily positivity rate: The percentage of tests performed in a single day that were positive for COVID-19. Source: dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics
• 7-day average positivity rate: The number of positive tests in a week, divided by the total number of tests performed during the same period. It is one measure Illinois uses to determine whether restrictions should be strengthened or loosened because it gives an indication of the infection rate in a community. The state-defined target is 8% or less. Source: dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics
• Hospitalizations: The number of patients in the hospital who have COVID-19 or are suspected of having the disease.
• ICU bed availability: The number of staffed intensive-care unit beds that are empty over seven days, divided by the total number of beds in the region. It is another measure the state uses to make decisions about restrictions. The state-defined target is 20% or more. Source: dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics
• Vaccine doses administered: The number of shots provided to individuals. Authorized COVID-19 vaccines require two shots. Source: dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccinedata
• % of population vaccinated: The number of county residents who have received both shots of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine, divided by the county’s total population. Source: dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccinedata

This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 1:16 PM.

Kavahn Mansouri

Belleville News-Democrat

618-239-2507

Kavahn Mansouri is an Investigate Reporter for the NPR Midwest Newsroom based in St. Louis, Missouri, a journalism partner with the Belleville News-Democrat. Support my work with a digital subscription