COVID infection rate in St. Clair County lowest since November. Hospitalizations drop

COVID-19 stats in St. Clair County continue to trend in the right direction, health officials reported during Wednesday’s weekly briefing.

Overall, health officials announced 721 new COVID-19 cases in St. Clair County from Feb. 10-16, down from the 780 new cases reported from Feb. 3-9; the 1,844 cases reported Jan. 27-Feb. 2; the 3,103 cases reported Jan. 18-24; the 4,697 cases reported Jan. 13-19; and the 5,334 cases reported Jan. 6-12.

County officials, meanwhile, reported a weekly and seven-day positivity rate of 5.8% during Wednesday’s briefing, down from 9.5% last week, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. That figure represents St. Clair’s lowest positivity rate since before Thanksgiving, according to the state health department.

Hospitalization numbers in St. Clair County also decreased sharply from 45 last week to 22 this week, while the number of patients on ventilators dropped from three last week to one this week.

“Our numbers are getting better,” St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Assistant Director Bryan Whitaker said during the briefing. “They’re getting better each and every week. We keep pushing through, following all the guidance out there. Make sure that you’re doing everything you can to do your part.”

Here is a comparative look at the numbers released Wednesday versus from the reporting period of Jan. 6-12:

• 5,334 new cases Jan. 6-12 vs. 721 new cases Feb. 10-16.
• 28.9% positivity rate Jan. 6-12 vs. 5.8% positivity rate Feb. 10-16.
• 136 hospitalizations Jan. 6-12 vs. 22 hospitalizations Feb. 10-16.

Additionally, for the reporting period of Dec. 30-Jan. 5, the county reported 12 people on ventilators vs. the one reported Wednesday.

St. Clair County Health Department Director Myla Blandford also noted the county’s case rate for the current reporting period was 223, down from 273 last week and 543 the week prior. The county had reported rates of more than 2,000 in recent weeks.

The county, however, did announce five new deaths from Feb. 10-16 — two women in their 70s with underlying health conditions; and a woman in her 60s, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 70s, all with unknown health conditions — after reporting 11 new deaths from Feb. 3-9

Overall, St. Clair County now has 68,041 cases — including 26,960 the past 12 weeks — and 666 deaths since the pandemic began.

St. Clair County health officials also reported decreases in the case numbers among the younger population, with fluctuations from last week noted:

• 57% of cumulative positive cases are under 40, down from 62% last week.
• 13.3% of current positive cases are between 11-20, down from 16% last week.
• 13.8% of current positive cases are under 10, down from 15.7% last week.

“We’ve seen a decrease in those younger age groups,” Blandford said.

COVID hospitalization data

The latest data from local medical facilities still shows unvaccinated people stand a higher chance of being hospitalized than vaccinated people, if they catch the COVID-19 virus.

Blandford again presented the weekly graphic from Touchette Regional Hospital, Memorial Hospital and HSHS St. Elizabeth’s hospital breaking down overall hospitalizations, ICU patients and those on ventilators among vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Here are the results:

• Hospitalizations: 22 people total hospitalized, with 15 of them unvaccinated. Last week, 45 people were hospitalized, with 32 of them unvaccinated.
• ICU: Six individuals total in the ICU, with three of them unvaccinated. Last week, seven people were in the ICU, with six of them unvaccinated.
• Ventilators: One individual total on a ventilator, with that person being vaccinated. Last week, three patients were on a ventilator, with two of them unvaccinated.

According to the data the Illinois Department of Public Health reported Wednesday, 54.84% (143,164) of St. Clair County residents are fully vaccinated and 60.78% (158,672) have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Madison County, Region 4 hospital figures

Since the BND last reported data for Madison County on Feb. 9, the latest figures show an increase of 561 cases and 20 new deaths from the past week. The case total is down sharply from the 2,796 cases reported last week and the 3,596 cases reported the week prior, and the death total is down from the 36 deaths reported Feb. 9.

Overall, as of Wednesday, Madison County had reported 69,117 cases and 752 deaths since the pandemic began.

Also, the Madison County Health Department on Wednesday reported 33 patients hospitalized and three people on ventilators. The hospitalization numbers dropped significantly from 59 since the BND last reported Madison County’s data Feb. 9, while the number of people on ventilators decreased from 13.

St. Clair County and Madison County are part of what the Illinois Department of Public Health classifies as Region 4, which also includes Bond, Clinton, Monroe, Randolph, and Washington counties.

Regionally, the number of patients hospitalized dropped from 108 last week to 57 this week, county officials reported Wednesday. The number of people on a ventilator in Region 4 also dropped from 13 last week to four this week.

Where to get vaccinated in St. Clair County

The St. Clair County Health Department’s location at 330 W. Main St. remains open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays for vaccinations.

All three vaccines — Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna — are offered every day there for anyone 12 and older. Appointments are recommended but not required. Flu vaccines also are now available at this location. People can schedule an appointment at www.co.st-clair.il.us/departments/health-department or by phone at 618-233-7703.

Additionally, the health department is offering Pfizer vaccine clinics for children age 5-11 at the department headquarters, 19 Public Square, Belleville.

The clinics take place in the evenings Monday-Wednesday and some select Saturdays, Blandford noted. People should call 618-825-4447 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday to make an appointment or visit https://www.co.st-clair.il.us/departments/health-department to register. Appointments are required.

Various pediatric physician offices, Walgreens and CVS are offering the shots for young people, health officials said recently.

Additionally, people can get tested or vaccinated at the St. Clair Square site. Previously open four days a week, the site now will be open six days a week — from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Blandford recently noted vaccines for people 12 and older are only offered Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and all three — Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — are available. However, the site does not provide vaccines for the 5-11 age group.