ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported fewer than 700 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the St. Louis area for the second day in a row Sunday.
Saturday was the first day of fewer than 700 COVID-19 hospitalizations since Nov. 12, and on Sunday, the trend continued. On Sunday, the number of COVID-19 patients decreased from 697 to 681.
Admissions in the St. Louis area have remained high, but so have COVID-19 discharges. Sunday was the first day since Jan. 11 with fewer than 100 discharges. On Saturday, the task force reported 156 discharges, the third-highest of the pandemic.
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 January 17.
- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased - from 106 yesterday to 92 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) remained the same at 102 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations decreased - from 741 yesterday to 731 today.
- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 697 yesterday to 681 today.
- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 50 yesterday to 41 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICUs decreased – from 146 yesterday to 140 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators remained the same at 83 today.
- The number of COVID deaths increased – from 9 yesterday to 16 today.
- The seven-day moving average of COVID deaths increased – from 15 yesterday to 16 today.
- Across the system hospitals, 88 COVID-19 patients were discharged to home yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 16,483.
- Today, staffed bed hospital capacity is at 80%, an average across our task force hospitals. The ICU’s are at 86% of their total staffed bed capacity.
In Missouri, the health department reported 437,549 cases and 6,254 deaths as of Sunday, a single-day increase of 1,350 cases and one death.
The department also reported 3,933,456 PCR tests as of Sunday, a single-day increase of 12,711.
According to the department's dashboard, the state's seven-day positivity average was 13.9%, the lowest since Oct. 29.
In Illinois, the state's health department reported 1,068,829 cases and 18,208 deaths as of Sunday, a single-day increase of 4,162 cases and 29 deaths.
The department also reported 14,763,993 tests as of Sunday, an increase of 96,845.
The state's seven-day positivity rate was 6.1%, the lowest since Oct. 25.
In the Metro East, the health department reported a seven-day positivity average of 9.2% Sunday, the lowest since Oct. 29.
According to the state's regional dashboard, the Metro East is still in Tier 3 of COVID-19 restrictions due to hospital and ICU capacity.
