Military bases in South Carolina no longer providing news on coronavirus testing
Military bases in South Carolina will no longer provide information on the number of servicemen testing positive for the coronavirus.
That includes Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, Fort Jackson in Columbia, and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (Parris Island) and Marine Corps Air Station — both in Beaufort County.
The Department of Defense ordered the military installations in South Carolina to stop making data about COVID-19 tests public.
“In order to protect operational security as we preserve the nation’s combat readiness, the Air Force and the other military services will only provide total numbers of service members with COVID-19 at the service level,” Shaw’s public affairs officer Capt. Amanda Herman told The State.
Any information on members of the military, or family living with them while serving at one of the bases, will not be made public.
“As we confront this growing crisis, and out of a concern for operational security with regard to readiness, we will not report the aggregate number of individual service member cases at individual unit, base or Combatant Commands,” read a statement from the Pentagon. “We will continue to do our best to balance transparency in this crisis with operational security.”
A spokesperson for Fort Jackson declined to comment, and referred all inquiries to the Department of Defense.
Instead, the Department of Defense will allow the branches to report data in general about positive tests for COVID-19. Specifically the Army for Fort Jackson, Air Force for Shaw, and the Marine Corps for Parris Island, will roll those numbers into a larger figure.
That information will be shared on a daily basis from the military branches, according to the Pentagon.
That update will also include the “full number of cases in all services and of civilians, contractors and dependents,” from each branch but not each base, the Pentagon said in the statement.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The Pentagon made this announcement hours after Fort Jackson, the nation’s largest basic training installation, announced the Army post has 25 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
Fort Jackson recently declared a public health emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic and notified South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster in addition to Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.
Also on Monday, the Marine Corps said it was not sending new recruits to Parris Island because of the ongoing health crisis.
More than 20 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed on the base, including drill instructors and recruits, Military.com reported.
On Monday, 151 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in South Carolina, bringing the statewide total to 925 confirmed COVID-19 cases in 41 counties, according to DHEC.
DHEC also announced that two more people died after testing positive for the coronavirus, raising that total to 18 in less than a month. State health officials described all 18 as elderly, and all but one had underlying medical conditions.
There have been 4,160 negative tests at DHEC’s public health laboratory.
DHEC is encouraging people to practice social distancing to help stop the spread of the virus. Social distancing is staying away from unnecessary interactions with sick people and from large groups of people; it also calls for remaining at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out.
Symptoms of coronavirus can include a fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing, according to the CDC. Among the emergency warning signs of COVID-19 is trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, and blueish lips or face, the CDC said.
The best way to prevent infection is to frequently wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC. DHEC also recommends covering your cough, staying home when sick, and disposing tissues and other items that you’ve sneezed or coughed into.
Free online screenings also can be accessed by all South Carolina residents, by going to scdhec.gov/COVID19.
Prisma Health is also offering free access to medical professionals for those who think they may have coronavirus, The State reported. People experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can go to https://www.prismahealth.org/virtual-visit/ and schedule a free online visit, Prisma officials said.
As of Tuesday morning, 800,049 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 38,743 people have died, while 170,325 recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads the world with 164,610 people who have been diagnosed with the novel virus. In the U.S. 3,170 deaths have been reported, including 914 in New York City, according to Johns Hopkins.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 12:58 PM.
