Richland coronavirus cases nearly triple as SC total hits 125 in 25 counties
South Carolina has surpassed 100 cases of COVID-19, state health officials said Friday, announcing investigations into 45 new positive tests of the novel coronavirus now in 25 of the state’s 46 counties.
Richland County saw the biggest increase in new cases Friday, with 14 reported positives bringing the county total to 22, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Richland, whose first case was just announced Tuesday, has the second-highest number of cases of any county in the state, trailing only Kershaw County which had 36 cases as of Friday.
Asked by reporters whether the ballooning number in Richland was alarming, state health officials said no.
“We’re reporting cases at the county level, and seeing a jump in cases, particularly in our more populated areas, is not unexpected,” state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said in a conference call with reporters. “And we expect to see transmission in our communities.”
That puts the new total around the state at 125, with one case removed from Thursday’s total of 81 after a case announced in Charleston County was determined to be from another state.
According to DHEC, new counties in the state with residents who have tested positive for the coronavirus are Aiken, Berkeley, Clarendon, Darlington, Florence, Pickens and Sumter, each reporting one case, and Orangeburg which has two cases.
“We want people to be prepared for more cases to occur and to continue to listen and follow recommendations from public health officials,” Bell said.
As of Friday evening, state health officials had announced three deaths related to the coronavirus, including an older man who was a resident at the Lexington Medical Center Extended Care Nursing Facility. Four people associated with the facility — which has more than 350 residents and 480 staff members — have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Lexington Medical Center spokeswoman Jennifer Wilson.
As of Friday, Lexington County had eight total cases after three new ones announced Friday. State health officials have not said whether the four latest cases announced in Lexington County had ties to the nursing home. Bell said the cases are under investigation and added the agency would not release specific information on individuals who have contracted the virus in part to encourage their cooperation with state health officials investigating the virus’ transmission.
Government officials at the state and federal level are taking steps to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Lawmakers passed and South Carolina governor Henry McMaster signed into law Thursday a $45 million state aid package to help DHEC with its COVID-19 response.
President Donald Trump also has signed into law an aid package aimed at providing relief to workers negatively affected by the virus.
On Friday, state health officials also announced that medical supplies from a national stockpile had been delivered to the state and distributed to communities based on population size.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 4:14 PM.
