ST. LOUIS — The number of COVID-19 patients in St. Louis area hospitals continues to trend down, as does the seven-day positivity rate in both Missouri and Illinois.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported a decreasing seven-day average of hospitalizations in the area for a sixth consecutive day.
Admissions in the St. Louis area have plateaued at around 100, which is much higher than the task force says is sustainable. The task force has said the number of admissions per day they are comfortable with is 40.
The hospital system has discharged more than 100 patients each of the last three days.
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. 14.
- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased from 113 yesterday to 112 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) increased – from 98 yesterday to 100 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations decreased - from 757 yesterday to 751 today.
- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations increased – from 732 yesterday to 735 today.
- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations increased – from 47 yesterday to 59 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICUs decreased – from 147 yesterday to 145 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators decreased – from 89 yesterday to 83 today.
- The number of COVID deaths decreased – from 18 yesterday to 17 today.
- The seven-day moving average of COVID deaths decreased – from 18 yesterday to 17 today.
- Across the system hospitals, 129 COVID-19 patients were discharged to home yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 16,119.
- Today, staffed bed hospital capacity is at 85%, an average across our task force hospitals. The ICU’s are at 88% of their total staffed bed capacity.
In Missouri, the state's health department reported the lowest seven-day average positivity since Nov. 2. According to the department's dashboard, the state's seven-day average positivity rate was 16.3%. The average is delayed by 72 hours, so the number reported Thursday represents the average on Jan. 11.
The department also reported 431,957 cases and 6,201 deaths as of Thursday, a single-day increase of 2,780 cases and 30 deaths.
It also reported 3,882,097 PCR tests, a single-day increase of 23,074.
In Illinois, the state's health department reported the lowest seven-day average positivity since Dec. 27. According to the department's data, the state's seven-day average positivity rate of 6.8%.
The department also reported 1,052,682 cases and 17,928 deaths as of Thursday, a single-day increase of 6,652 cases and 88 deaths.
It also reported 14,457,620 tests, a single-day increase of 118,036.
The seven-day positivity rate in the Metro East was 10.3%, down from 11.4% yesterday.
Although the positivity rate has improved in the Metro East, hospital capacity has not, according to the state's regional dashboard.
