CDC recommends masking in St. Clair, 57 other counties in IL at high community level
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved St. Clair County from a medium to high COVID-19 community level Thursday.
The county’s weekly case rate was 244.53 per 100,000 people, according to the CDC’s data, and there were 10.4 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people over the previous seven days.
Additionally, 4.4% of staffed inpatient beds were in use by patients with confirmed COVID-19.
Test positivity in St. Clair County increased by 4.21% to 21.55%, while the number of tests performed decreased by 3.39%. The total case rate increased by 6.14%, according to the CDC.
More than 20 other southwest and southern Illinois counties were also at a high COVID-19 community level Thursday, including Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Macoupin, Montgomery, Bond, Clinton and Randolph.
Monroe, Marion, Jefferson, Wayne and Fayette counties were at a medium level Thursday. Only one southern Illinois county, Washington, was at a low level.
Across the state, the CDC designated 58 counties at a high COVID-19 community level, up from 50 counties last week. There were 36 counties at the medium level.
A county’s community level is based on metrics from the past seven days, including new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, average percent of staffed, inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and total new cases per 100,000 people.
Every Illinois county is in a high COVID-19 transmission level, a separate CDC metric, for the second consecutive week.
The community transmission level is based on the past seven days’ number of cases per 100,000 people and portion of positive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs).
The CDC recommends indoor masking in areas at high community levels, and staying up to date with vaccines and boosters is recommended for everyone regardless of community designation.
Those who have come in contact with someone who tested positive or who have symptoms themselves should wear a mask and get tested.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, St. Clair County’s daily case rate increased to 37.5 per 100,000 people from last week’s metric of 33.5. The county’s daily case rate has increased for two consecutive weeks.
The county’s seven-day rolling average of hospital admissions was three, and 26% of intensive care unit beds are available, according to IDPH. No county deaths were reported for the week.
Illinois’ statewide daily case rate is slightly lower than St. Clair County’s at 36.2 cases per 100,000 people. IDPH recorded a seven-day rolling hospital admissions average of 146, and ICU bed availability is at 20%.
The agency reported 52 weekly deaths across the state.
You can schedule a COVID-19 vaccine or find testing locations online in St. Clair County.
Note: Some CDC data, such as test positivity rates, the number of tests performed and total case rate, update on different days. IDPH data and CDC data may not update at the same time, so metrics may vary across agencies.
This story was originally published July 23, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
