ST. LOUIS — Coronavirus hospitalizations and admissions in the St. Louis area continue to trend down as Missouri and Illinois remain among the slowest in the country in vaccine rollout.
On Tuesday, the task force reported a single-day increase in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, but the seven-day average fell for the 18th consecutive day.
The task force also reported a decrease in the seven-day average of admissions. The number reported Tuesday, 75, was the lowest since Nov. 6, 2020.
The following data are the combined figures from the four major health systems (BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health, St. Luke’s Hospital) that are part of the task force, for Jan. 26.
- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased - from 67 yesterday to 61 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased – from 77 yesterday to 75 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations decreased - from 616 yesterday to 606 today.
- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations increased – from 591 yesterday to 596 today.
- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations increased – from 36 yesterday to 48 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICUs increased – from 127 yesterday to 131 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators increased – from 82 yesterday to 89 today.
- The number of COVID deaths increased – from 7 yesterday to 8 today.
- The seven-day moving average of COVID deaths decreased – from 13 yesterday to 11 today.
- Across the system hospitals, 103 COVID-19 patients were discharged to home yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 17,305.
- Today, staffed bed hospital capacity is at 83%, an average across our task force hospitals. The ICU’s are at 86% of their total staffed bed capacity.
As of Tuesday, 4.3% of people in Missouri and 4.7% of people in Illinois had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to CDC data compiled by the New York Times. Missouri ranks last and Illinois ranks 44th in the percent of people with at least one shot. The rate for the U.S. is 6.0%.
Missouri has used 51% of the doses they have been given, and Illinois has used 48%. That ranks Missouri 33rd and Illinois 43rd. The national average is 53%.
In Missouri, the state's health department reported 451,493 cases and 6,686 deaths as of Tuesday, a single-day increase of 1,079 cases and 133 deaths.
Of the 133 deaths reported Tuesday, 103 were discovered as a part of the department's weekly audit of death certificate data. Of the 103 additional deaths, six occurred in November 2020, 67 in December 2020 and 30 in January.
The state's health department reported 4,071,261 PCR tests as of Tuesday, a single-day increase of 10,826 tests.
The state's seven-day positivity rate was 10.7%, according to the department's dashboard. It's the lowest since Oct. 22.
In Illinois, the state's health department reported 1,108,430 cases and 18,883 deaths as of Tuesday, a single-day increase of 3,667 and 85 deaths.
The department also reported 15,553,319 tests as of Tuesday, a single-day increase of 69,285.
The seven-day positivity rate in the state was 4.9% Tuesday. It was the first time the state's positivity rate has been lower than 5% since October 2020.
The Metro East's seven-day positivity rate continued to fall Tuesday. The state's regional dashboard reported a positivity rate of 7.7%, the lowest since Oct. 18, 2020. The region needs the positivity rate to remain lower than 8% in order to move into Tier 1 restrictions.
The seven-day rolling average of ICU bed availability was 19% Tuesday. The region also needs the seven-day average to be higher than 20% for three consecutive days in order for the region to move into Tier 1 restrictions.
