Richland County has 28 new coronavirus cases, total doubles since last week
Richland County has seen 28 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to the county’s emergency services director.
The latest numbers bring the total to 176, which Emergency Services Director Micheal Byrd points out is more than double the number of cases Richland counted at the end of last week. Then, the total number of cases stood at 65.
The county has confirmed 81 new cases since Monday, when the county announced 40 new cases of the virus. Many of those were Fort Jackson personnel, after the Army facility announced 25 new cases on Monday. The Pentagon has since instructed military facilities not to release new coronavirus figures to the public.
In the past few days, Richland County surpassed Charleston County as the county with the most COVID-19 infections in the state. Charleston had 142 cases as of Tuesday.
Byrd told county council members on a daily update conference call Wednesday that county EMS has seen “a larger number of respiratory and flu calls than average” since Tuesday. Eleven EMS employees are currently in isolation pending testing for COVID-19, he said.
Richland County Council took action on Tuesday to draw up a countywide stay-at-home order, similar to ones that have already been put in place in Columbia, Charleston and Mount Pleasant.
But some council members are skeptical of the need for a county order, and the state attorney general’s office has questioned if local governments have the power to tell residents to stay home without action from the governor.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
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.
This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 3:25 PM.
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