Metro-east’s ICU bed availability improves as COVID-19 positivity rate rises slightly

COVID-19 summary for Wednesday, May 5

According to data released by the state health department Wednesday, the metro-east has now fully vaccinated 216,055 individuals out of the estimated 660,225 who live in the region.

In addition, 446,777 doses of the vaccine have been administered throughout the seven counties.

Specifically, Madison and St. Clair counties have combined to administer 357,265 vaccine doses and fully vaccinated 172,374 against the coronavirus.

Overall, Madison County has administered 182,088 COVID-19 vaccines and fully vaccinated 88,180 residents, while St. Clair County has administered 175,177 vaccines and fully vaccinated 84,194 individuals.

In total, more than 4.2 million Illinoisans have been fully vaccinated, or 33.07% of the state’s population, according to Illinois Department of Health data.

The state health department listed Region 4 as having a seven-day average positivity rate of 3.0% on Wednesday, up slightly from 2.9% on Tuesday. The state also reported a daily positivity rate of 4.7% on Wednesday, down from 5.0% on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, intensive care unit bed availability rose from 36% on Tuesday to 38% on Wednesday. That represents the highest availability since April 17 when it stood at 39%.

Wednesday’s breakdown for Region 4

New cases: 69 (+13)

New deaths: 1 (no change)

Total vaccine doses administered (as of Tuesday): 446,777 (+2,607)

Daily positivity rate (as of Sunday): 4.7 (-0.3)

7-day average positivity rate (as of Sunday): 3.0% (+0.1)

Regional hospitalizations: 38 (+3) (provided by St. Clair County)

Regional patients on ventilators: 0 (-0) (provided by St. Clair County)

ICU bed availability (as of Tuesday): 38% (+2.0)

ST. CLAIR COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 33 new positives, 0 new deaths, 903 new tests administered, 30 new recoveries

Total overall: 30,569 positives, 477 deaths, 344,175 tests administered, 29,803 recoveries, 15 patients hospitalized with 0 patients on a ventilator

Vaccines administered: 822 doses Tuesday, bringing the total to 175,177

% of population fully vaccinated: 32.25%

Additional data: People who tested positive ranged from under the age of 10 to their 70s. Of the 33 new positives, 29 were under the age of 40.

Congregate living facilities: No new data.

Positivity rates (as of Sunday): Daily — 6.1% (no change); 7-day average — 2.9% (no change)

MADISON COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 24 new positives, 0 new deaths, 791 new tests administered, 37 new recoveries, 4 new patients hospitalized

Total overall: 29,809 positives, 496 deaths, 312,694 tests administered, 29,532 recoveries, 19 patients hospitalized with 1 patient on a ventilator

Vaccines administered: 1,423 doses Tuesday, bringing the total to 182,088

% of population fully vaccinated: 33.34%

Additional data: People who tested positive ranged from under the age of 10 to their 60s. Of the 24 new positives, 15 were under the age of 40.

Positivity rate (as of Sunday): Daily — 5.3 (-1.0); 7-day average — 4.1% (+0.2)

CLINTON COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 3 new positives, 2 new recoveries

Total overall: 5,744 positives, 90 deaths, 5,638 recoveries, 3 patients hospitalized

Vaccines administered: 37 doses Tuesday, bringing the total to 25,922

% of population fully vaccinated: 34.03%

Positivity rates (as of Sunday): Daily — 2.4% (+0.3); 7-day average — 1.6% (-0.3)

RANDOLPH COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 1 new positive, 1 new recovery, 1 new patient hospitalized

Total overall: 4,145 positives, 85 deaths, 4,052 recoveries, 1 patient hospitalized

Vaccines administered: 177 doses Tuesday, bringing the total to 17,897

% of population fully vaccinated: 27.17%

Positivity rates (as of Sunday): Daily — 0.5% (-0.2); 7-day average — 1.0% (+0.1)

MONROE COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 1 new positive, 1 new death

Total overall: 4,382 positives, 92 deaths, 1 patient hospitalized

Vaccines administered: 74 doses Tuesday, bringing the total to 26,983

% of population fully vaccinated: 37.80%

Positivity rates (as of Sunday): Daily — 6.3% (+5.2); 7-day average — 3.2% (+0.3)

BOND COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 7 new positives, 1,305 new tests administered

Total overall: 2,185 positives, 24 deaths, 66,074 tests administered

Vaccines administered: 39 doses Tuesday, bringing the total to 9,384

% of population fully vaccinated: 26.81%

Positivity rates (as of Sunday): Daily — 0.0% (-1.9); 7-day average — 1.9% (no change)

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Wednesday’s new data: 0 new positives, 2 new recoveries

Total overall: 1,645 positives, 29 deaths, 1,625 recoveries, 0 patients hospitalized

Vaccines administered: 35 doses Tuesday, bringing the total to 9,326

% of population fully vaccinated: 33.66%

Positivity rates (as of Sunday): Daily — 0.0% (-3.8); 7-day average — 2.0% (no change)

Illinois reports new COVID cases, deaths Wednesday

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: 2,410 (+199)

New deaths: 30 (+11)

New COVID-19 tests: 77,670 (+20,187)

Total cases: 1,346,398

Total deaths: 22,096

Total tests: 23,007,188

Total Illinoisans fully vaccinated against COVID-19: 4,213,268 (+67,557) — or 33.07% of the population

Total vaccine doses administered: 9,546,833 (+96,415)

Hospitalizations: 2,060 (-14)

People in ICU: 496 (+3)

People on ventilators: 249 (-13)

Statewide positivity rate (from April 28-May 4): 3.9% (+0.6)

Nation, world COVID-19 statistics

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

• U.S.: 33,274,659 cases, 592,409 deaths, 25,966,389 recoveries
  
  
• World: 154,997,558 cases, 3,241,459 deaths, 132,484,805 recoveries
  
  

Testing in southwestern Illinois, change at St. Clair Square site

Here is an upcoming free coronavirus testing options:

• Thursday, May 6: 9-11 a.m. COVID-19 rapid testing at the Clinton County Fairgrounds, 1899 Methodist St., Carlyle.

Additionally, 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.

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

This story was originally published May 5, 2021 at 3:48 PM.