DHEC: 46% of SC coronavirus dead are African Americans, who are just 27% of population
Nearly half, or 46%, of the South Carolinians who have died from the coronavirus are black, but they make up only 27% of the state’s population, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Meanwhile, 41% of South Carolinians who have died from virus are white, while whites make up 67% of the state’s population.
Those percentages are based on a relatively small number of deaths — 63 — so it is not certain that they will hold steady as the number of coronavirus deaths grows.
But the percentages are in line with findings around the country that show Africans Americans are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus.
In recent days, reports by national news outlets, including CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post, have revealed “black people are disproportionately hit hard by coronavirus,” as a Los Angeles Times headline said Wednesday.
Already, DHEC statistics show a racial disparity when it comes to those who have been confirmed to test positive for coronavirus. Whites make up 57% of South Carolinians who tested positive; blacks, 37%.
Sue Berkowitz, director of the Appleseed Legal Justice Center, said it is not surprising that African Americans nationally are so stricken.
African Americans, whose income is generally lower than that of white people, have a lower rate of having a regular physician and are in general poorer health than whites, she said. Moreover, many black people hold low income or hands-on jobs that they cannot easily take time off from or work remotely, Berkowitz said.
Johns Hopkins University, which tracks U.S. and world coronavirus deaths, had a notice on its Internet site on Wednesday that said, “Stark statistics are coming to light only now and only in piecemeal fashion showing that African Americans are disproportionately affected by Covid-19. The racial divide in who gets infected, who gets tested and who dies from Covid-19 is emerging from the few cities and states whose data are public.”
Another revelation in Wednesday’s DHEC data: 35% of South Carolina’s coronavirus dead are women, while 65% are men. Those numbers are also in line with national statistics that men die at a greater rate than women from coronavirus. No explanation has emerged.
Only about 7% of the 63 dead South Carolinians were under the age of 60, according to the DHEC numbers released Wednesday. About 93% were ages 61 and older. Eighteen percent were ages 61-70; 40% were ages 71-80; and 35% were older than age 81. Those percentages are in line with national and world findings that the elderly are especially vulnerable to dying from coronavirus.
So far, the U.S. has had more than 420,000 known cases of coronavirus and more than 14,000 deaths. Most of the country is on lockdown — keeping apart is the best known way of preventing the spread of the highly contagious disease.
DHEC released the race, age and gender statistics of the coronavirus dead late Wednesday afternoon after being asked for days about such data by The State newspaper. Earlier Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-North Charleston, called for DHEC to release the race demographic data. Two state lawmakers earlier Wednesday also called for the release of such data.
In recent weeks, in response for it to be more transparent, DHEC has slowly increased the amount of data it is releasing about the coronavirus pandemic and its effect on South Carolinians.
DHEC also said Wednesday that the youngest person to die from the coronavirus in South Carolina was 35 and the oldest was 98. The average age of the deceased is 76.
Richland County, with the state capital of Columbia, continues to lead the state in the number of coronavirus cases — 372. Ten people have died from coronavirus in Richland County.
The next highest-ranking counties in numbers of positive cases are Charleston (308) and Greenville (223).
Staff writer Sammy Fretwell and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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 8, 2020 at 6:47 PM.
