Metro-east COVID-19 positivity rate remains at record low as vaccinations, cases rise
COVID-19 summary for Thursday, April 29
According to data released by the state health department Thursday, the metro-east region has now fully vaccinated 209,251 individuals out of the estimated 660,225 who live here. In addition, 436,691 doses of the vaccine have been administered throughout the seven counties.
Specifically, Madison and St. Clair counties have combined to vaccinate 348,686 people and fully vaccinated 166,654 against the coronavirus.
Overall, Madison County has administered 177,939 COVID-19 vaccines and fully vaccinated 85,379 residents, while St. Clair County has administered 170,747 vaccines and fully vaccinated 81,275 individuals.
In total, nearly 4 million Illinoisans have been fully vaccinated, or 31.14% of the state’s population, according to IDPH data.
Meanwhile, the seven metro-east counties the Illinois Public Health Department has classified as Region 7 saw its COVID-19 case rate remain at a record low Thursday.
The state health department listed metro-east Region 4 as having a seven-day average positivity rate of 2.5% for a third consecutive day. That rate is the lowest the average has been since the state health department began tracking COVID-19 throughout the region. The state also reported a daily positivity rate of 3.3% on Thursday, down from 4.0% on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, intensive care unit bed availability remained at 35% for a second-straight day.
Thursday’s breakdown for Region 4
New cases: 96 (+34)
New deaths: 1 (-1) (Clinton County reported 1 new death.)
Total vaccine doses administered (as of Wednesday): 436,691 (+2,620)
Daily positivity rate (as of Monday): 3.3 (-0.7)
7-day average positivity rate (as of Monday): 2.5% (no change)
Regional hospitalizations: 43 (no change) (provided by St. Clair County)
Regional patients on ventilators: 3 (no change) (provided by St. Clair County)
ICU bed availability (as of Wednesday): 35% (no change)
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 50 new positives, 0 new deaths, 967 new tests administered, 22 new recoveries
Total overall: 30,404 positives, 476 deaths, 338,806 tests administered, 29,561 recoveries, 22 patients hospitalized with 2 patients on a ventilator
Vaccines administered: 967 doses Wednesday, bringing the total to 170,747
% of population fully vaccinated: 31.13%
Additional data: People who tested positive ranged from under the age of 1 to their 80s. Of the 50 new positives, 34 were under the age of 40.
Congregate living facilities: No new cases or deaths
Positivity rates (as of Monday): Daily — 2.9% (-2.6); 7-day average — 2.8% (no change)
MADISON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 36 new positives, 0 new deaths, 866 new tests administered, 103 new recoveries, 2 fewer patients hospitalized
Total overall: 29,643 positives, 494 deaths, 308,397 tests administered, 29,384 recoveries, 13 patients hospitalized with 1 patient on a ventilator
Vaccines administered: 1,214 doses Wednesday, bringing the total to 177,939
% of population fully vaccinated: 32.28%
Additional data: People who tested positive ranged from under the age of 10 to their 60s. Of the 36 new positives, 30 were under the age of 40.
Positivity rate (as of Monday): Daily — 4.3 (+0.9); 7-day average — 3.0% (+1.0)
CLINTON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 1 new death, 1 new recovery, 3 fewer patients hospitalized
Total overall: 5,732 positives, 91 deaths, 5,620 recoveries, 2 patients hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 76 doses Wednesday, bringing the total to 25,428
% of population fully vaccinated: 33.10%
Positivity rates (as of Monday): Daily — 0.9% (-7.6); 7-day average — 2.6% (-0.3)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 8 new positives, 7 new recoveries, 1 fewer patient hospitalized
Total overall: 4,140 positives, 85 deaths, 4,039 recoveries, 1 patient hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 98 doses Wednesday, bringing the total to 17,526
% of population fully vaccinated: 26.30%
Positivity rates (as of Monday): Daily — 1.6% (+1.6); 7-day average — 0.9% (no change)
MONROE COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 0 new positives, 1 fewer patient hospitalized
Total overall: 4,365 positives, 91 deaths, 3 patients hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 173 doses Wednesday, bringing the total to 26,624
% of population fully vaccinated: 37.04%
Positivity rates (as of Monday): Daily — 1.5% (-1.9); 7-day average — 1.6% (+0.1)
BOND COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: 2 new positives, 152 new tests administered
Total overall: 2,170 positives, 24 deaths, 65,756 tests administered
Vaccines administered: 60 doses Wednesday, bringing the total to 9,250
% of population fully vaccinated: 26.21%
Positivity rates (as of Monday): Daily — 9.4% (+9.4); 7-day average — 2.2% (+0.2)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Thursday’s new data: No new data
Total overall: 1,643 positives, 29 deaths, 1,620 recoveries, 0 patients hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 32 doses Wednesday, bringing the total to 9,177
% of population fully vaccinated: 33.0%
Positivity rates (as of Monday): Daily — 0.0% (no change); 7-day average — 1.9% (-0.4)
Illinois reports new COVID cases, deaths Thursday
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: 3,394 (+666)
New deaths: 38 (+5)
New COVID-19 tests: 89,057 (+1,359)
Total cases: 1,331,848
Total deaths: 21,927
Total tests: 22,558,270
Total Illinoisans fully vaccinated against COVID-19: 3,966,970 (+131,479)— or 31.14% of the population
Total vaccine doses administered: 9,155,989 (+107,689)
Hospitalizations: 2,115 (-39)
People in ICU: 475 (-27)
People on ventilators: 231 (-7)
Statewide positivity rate (from April 22-28): 3.5% (+0.1)
Nation, world COVID-19 statistics
Here are the latest available statistics from the Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus map and Worldometer as of Thursday afternoon:
- U.S.: 32,983,695 cases, 588,337 deaths, 25,584,747 recoveries
- World: 150,366,331 cases, 3,167,090 deaths, 127,896,814 recoveries
Testing in southwestern Illinois, change at St. Clair Square site
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 Dillard’s. The facility previously was open daily. Now, per county health officials, it will be open Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation also offer daily testing in Wood River. Call 618-646-2596 for an appointment.
Vaccination sites
The following locations are COVID-19 vaccination sites:
- Every Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Sunday (closed Wednesday): 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the St. Clair County Fairgrounds, 200 South Belt East #2650, Belleville. https://www.facebook.com/SCC.HealthDepartment/
Every Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 330 W. Main St., Belleville. As vaccine supply allows.
- Friday, April 30: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 4264 Piggott Ave., East St. Louis. This is through Touchette Regional Hospital and SIHF Healthcare. No appointment required. The Moderna vaccine will be distributed, so a second dose will be necessary in four weeks. The vaccine will be available to any Illinois resident age 18 and older, and 500 doses will be available each day. Please bring some form of identification as well as insurance information. However, insurance is not required, and there is no out-of-pocket cost to receive the vaccine.
Additionally, people can now call 1-844-216-4707 to make an appointment for a COVID vaccine at any HSHS vaccine clinic. Locally, HSHS vaccine clinics are located in O’Fallon, Edwardsville and Highland. For more information, visit www.hshs.org/vaccine.
- O’Fallon and Edwardsville: Vaccine appointments are required. COVID vaccine appointments are available to Illinois residents who are 18 years and older. Call 1-844-216-4707 to schedule, or people can schedule online. HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is administering a limited number of second dose vaccines through the end of April and then will pause their vaccine clinic and direct patients to HSHS Medical Group locations. HSHS Medical Group will continue to offer first and second doses at HSHS Medical Group Multispecialty Care, located at 1188 Illinois 157, Suite 100, in Edwardsville; and HSHS Medical Group Family Medicine, located at 1512 N. Green Mount Road, in O’Fallon.
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