St. Clair County reports lowest COVID-19 positivity rate in a month as cases drop
St. Clair County officials expressed cautious optimism during Wednesday’s weekly COVID-19 briefing as cases and deaths appear to be slowly decreasing.
Overall, health officials announced 3,103 new COVID-19 cases from Jan. 18-24 in St. Clair County, down from 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 20.9% during Wednesday’s briefing, down from 26.7% last week, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. That figure represents St. Clair’s lowest positivity rate since Jan. 1, according to county officials.
St. Clair County Health Department Director Myla Blandford hopes the current trends continue but stressed remaining vigilant adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
“Overall we are seeing a decrease statewide in the number of cases,” Blandford said. “So we’re kind of cautiously optimistic that we could be turning the tide. But we still need to make sure that everybody is getting vaccinated, you’re receiving your boosters when you’re eligible, wearing your mask, staying socially distanced, and washing your hands. That’s the best medicine.”
On Wednesday, the county announced 11 new deaths from Jan. 18-24 — a man in his 40s and a woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions; a man in his 60s, a woman in her 70s, a man in his 70s, four men in their 80s, a woman in her 90s and a man in his 90s, all with unknown health conditions — after reporting 12 new deaths from Jan. 13-19.
Hospitalization numbers in St. Clair County also decreased from 129 last week to 107 this week. The number of patients on ventilators dropped as well, from four last week to three this week.
Like Blandford, St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern expressed optimism while strongly encouraging getting a booster shot.
“The numbers are going down but now is not the time to let up,” Kern said. “Get boosted. It’s really the booster that seems to be the key to staying out of the hospital. If we keep going in this direction, maybe we’ll have a year without a mask. Let’s continue to do what we’re doing and we’ll get through this.”
Added St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Assistant Director Bryan Whitaker, “It’s definitely movement in the right direction, but slow movement. Everybody can play their part by continuing to get vaccinated, get boosted and make sure you’re doing your part to be a part of that solution.”
Overall, the county now has 64,696 cases — including 23,675 the past 10 weeks — and 650 deaths since the pandemic began.
St. Clair County health officials continue to see high case numbers among the younger population, with increases from last week noted:
63.6% of current positive cases are under 40, up slightly from 63% last week.
18% of current positive cases are between 11-20, up from 15.8% last week.
16.5% of current positive cases are under 10, up from 15.5% last week.
COVID still hitting unvaccinated people hardest
The latest data from local medical facilities continues to show 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: 107 people total hospitalized, with 69 of them unvaccinated. Last week, 129 people were hospitalized, with 95 of them unvaccinated.
ICU: 14 individuals total in the ICU, with nine of them unvaccinated. Last week, 16 people were in the ICU, with 11 of them unvaccinated.
Ventilators: Three individuals total on a ventilator, with two of them unvaccinated. Last week, four patients were on a ventilator, with all four of them unvaccinated.
According to the data the Illinois Department of Public Health reported Wednesday, 54.7% (141,164) of St. Clair County residents are fully vaccinated and 60.39% (157,666) 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 Jan. 19, the latest figures show an increase of 3.596 cases and 12 new deaths from the past week. Those figures are down from 5,010 new cases and 19 new deaths reported the previous week.
Overall, as of Wednesday, Madison County had reported 65,760 cases and 696 deaths since the pandemic began.
Also, the Madison County Health Department on Wednesday reported 113 patients hospitalized and 13 people on ventilators. The hospitalization numbers dropped from 121 since the BND last reported Madison County’s data Jan. 19, while the number of people on ventilators increased slightly from 12.
The health department recently announced on its Facebook page it will provide data updates Mondays-Fridays moving forward.
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 282 last week to 251 this week, county officials reported Wednesday. The number of people on a ventilator in Region 4 also dropped from 15 last week to 14 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.
