COVID-19 case rate hits record low in southwestern IL, 30% of state vaccinated
COVID-19 summary for Tuesday, April 27
The seven metro-east counties the Illinois Public Health Department has classified as Region 7 saw its COVID-19 case rate drop to record lows Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the state health department listed metro-east Region 4 as having a seven-day average positivity rate of 2.5%, down from 2.8% the previous day. Tuesday’s 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 2.9% on Tuesday, up from 2.4% on Monday.
Meanwhile, intensive care unit bed availability stayed the same Tuesday 36%, the same as the previous day.
According to data released by the state health department on Tuesday, the metro-east region has now fully vaccinated 202,438 out of the estimated 660,225 who live here. In addition, 430,419 doses of the vaccine have been administered throughout the seven counties.
Meanwhile, Madison and St. Clair counties have combined to vaccinate 343,515 people and fully vaccinated 162,821 against the coronavirus.
Overall, Madison County has administered 175,230 COVID-19 vaccines and fully vaccinated 83,483 residents, while St. Clair County has administered 168,285 vaccines and fully vaccinated 79,338 individuals.
In total, more than 3.8 million Illinoisans have been fully vaccinated, or 30.10% of the state’s population, according to IDPH data.
Tuesday’s breakdown for Region 4
New cases: 46 (-32)
New deaths: 0 (-1)
Total vaccine doses administered (as of Monday): 430,419 (+3,051)
Daily positivity rate (as of Saturday): 2.9 (+0.5)
7-day average positivity rate (as of Saturday): 2.5% (-0.3)
Regional hospitalizations: 40 (-8) (provided by St. Clair County)
Regional patients on ventilators: 3 (-1) (provided by St. Clair County)
ICU bed availability (as of Monday): 36% (no change)
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 19 new positives, 0 new deaths, 805 new tests administered, 47 new recoveries, 1 new patient hospitalized, 1 less patient on a ventilator
Total overall: 30,310 positives, 475 deaths, 336,895 tests administered, 29,522 recoveries, 27 patients hospitalized with 2 patients on a ventilator
Vaccines administered: 1,079 doses Monday, bringing the total to 168,285
% of population fully vaccinated: 30.07%
Congregate living facilities: Willow Creek of Belleville reported 1 new case
Positivity rates (as of Friday): Daily — 4.0% (+0.3); 7-day average — 2.7% (-0.1)
MADISON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 28 new positives, 604 new tests administered, 0 new deaths
Total overall: 29,582 positives, 494 deaths, 306,723 tests administered, 29,256 recoveries, 16 patients hospitalized with 2 patients on a ventilator
Vaccines administered: 1,170 doses Monday, bringing the total to 175,230
% of population fully vaccinated: 31.57%
Positivity rate (as of Saturday): Daily — 2.9 (+0.6); 7-day average — 3.0% (-0.8)
CLINTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: 0 new positives
Total overall: 5,726 positives, 90 deaths, 5,615 recoveries, 4 patient hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 223 doses Monday, bringing the total to 25,269
% of population fully vaccinated: 32.84%
Positivity rates (as of Saturday): Daily — 0.6% (no change); 7-day average — 2.5% (-0.4)
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 4,130 positives, 85 deaths, 4,032 recoveries, 2 patients hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 77 doses Sunday, bringing the total to 17,241
% of population fully vaccinated: 25.63%
Positivity rates (as of Saturday): Daily — 1.0% (+0.6); 7-day average — 1.1% (+0.1)
MONROE COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 4,361 positives, 105 deaths, 4 patients hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 408 doses Monday, bringing the total to 26,218
% of population fully vaccinated: 36.18%
Positivity rates (as of Saturday): Daily — 3.0% (+0.1); 7-day average — 1.3% (no change)
BOND COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 2,162 positives, 21 deaths, 65,219 tests administered
Vaccines administered: 27 doses Monday, bringing the total to 9,146
% of population fully vaccinated: 25.95%
Positivity rates (as of Saturday): Daily — 0.0% (-0.7); 7-day average — 2.0% (-0.2)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Tuesday’s new data: No new data as of 4 p.m.
Total overall: 1,641 positives, 29 deaths, 1,618 recoveries, 0 patients hospitalized
Vaccines administered: 121 doses Monday, bringing the total to 9,084
% of population fully vaccinated: 32.55%
Positivity rates (as of Saturday): Daily — 8.8% (+5.7); 7-day average — 2.7% (+1.1)
Illinois reports new COVID cases, deaths Tuesday
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: 2,556 (+419)
New deaths: 23 (+13)
New COVID-19 tests: 62,724 (+13,488)
Total cases: 1,325,726
Total deaths: 21,858
Total tests: 22,381,515
Total Illinoisans fully vaccinated against COVID-19: 3,835,491— or 30% of the population
Total vaccine doses administered: 8,942,127
Hospitalizations: 2,180 (+97)
People in ICU: 502 (-4)
People on ventilators: 251 (no change)
Statewide positivity rate (from April 20-26): 3.5%
Nation, world COVID-19 statistics
Here are the latest available statistics from the Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus map and Worldometer as of Tuesday afternoon:
- U.S.: 32,860,178 cases, 586,412 deaths, 25,419,689 recoveries
- World: 148,361,569 cases, 3,130,024 deaths, 125,900,418 recoveries
Testing in southwestern Illinois, change at St. Clair Square site
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, still 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 S Belt E #2650, Belleville. https://www.facebook.com/SCC.HealthDepartment/
Every Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 330 West Main St., Belleville. As vaccine supply allows.
- Wednesday, April 28: Noon to 4 p.m. at the Power of Change Christian Center, 2348 Jerome Lane, Cahokia. 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.
- Friday, April 30: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 4264 Piggott Avenue, 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
This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 3:39 PM.