Where are the coronavirus hot spots in SC? New data shows areas with most cases
Cases of the coronavirus have been reported in nearly every ZIP code across Richland and Lexington counties, according to new data provided by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Friday.
Meanwhile, in Kershaw County, Camden has the highest reported number of cases in the state, with 74 positive tests in the 29020 ZIP code, up from 32 cases a week ago. Elgin, under the ZIP code 29045, also reported 27 cases, while nearby Lugoff had 23.
All told, Kershaw County, where the outbreak initially was centered, has had 136 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, ranking the county behind Charleston, Richland and Greenville.
The figures are generally in line with previously reported data that had Richland and Kershaw counties among the most infected counties across the state.
DHEC released the data Friday evening after saying earlier this week it would stop providing the information, worrying that the public might misinterpret the ZIP code data. But Gov. Henry McMaster ordered the ZIP code information released.
Agency officials said Friday that people should not consider ZIP codes with low numbers to be free of coronavirus. The disease continues to sweep across the state and more cases are being reported daily.
“There are many, many more people everywhere in the community we think have this virus and have never been tested,’’ DHEC spokeswoman Laura Renwick said.
Still, the data give some idea of where the virus has shown up in the past month.
In Richland, which has had 224 cases countywide of coronavirus, the Two Notch Road area near Rabon and Alpine Roads has had the highest number of reported cases with 34, up from eight last Friday.
The 29203 ZIP code, which includes North Main Street, Fairfield Road and parts of Eau Claire, has also seen a surge in cases, going from one to 18 in the span of a week. The Lake Carolina and Blythewood areas had 19 and 12 case, respectively.
And Lexington County’s 29072 ZIP code, which includes the south shore of Lake Murray, has had 15 reported cases, the most in that county. The Edmund area of the county, at ZIP code 29073, had another 12 cases of the coronavirus, up from 2 cases last week, statistics show.
On the coast, the densely populated Mount Pleasant area of Charleston County had the most cases, with 42 in the 29464 ZIP code.
But added with the adjacent ZIP code of 29466, the larger Mount Pleasant area had a total of 68 cases. James Island, just west of Folly Beach, and West Ashley both had more than 20 cases each, while Kiawah Island and nearby areas had 12. Charleston County has had 247 positive coronavirus cases.
The Bluffton area had the most cases in Beaufort County, with 16, while the Murrells Inlet-Garden City area had the most cases in Horry County with 9. The Rock Hill and Fort Mill areas of York County had the bulk of the cases there, with 52 across three ZIP codes.
In the state’s northwest corner, Greenville County had a surge in cases in several areas compared to last week. The number of coronavirus cases jumped from 2 to 14 in the Simpsonville area, to lead the county. Overall, Greenville County has had 174 cases of the coronavirus.
All told, 276 of 603 ZIP codes across the state have reported at least one case, with one in all 46 counties. In the Midlands, all but two of Lexington and Richland’s 40 ZIP codes have reported a case.
DHEC had mostly focused on reporting county-wide data before Friday. McMaster urged people not to read too much into the numbers.
“We believe that it is important information for the people, we want the people to know what we face, but it does, in some corners, could lead to a false sense of security,” McMaster said of his decision at a press conference Friday.
Health officials had initially released a ZIP code breakdown on March 26, providing the public with more information about how COVID-19 was spreading in their communities.
But shortly thereafter, DHEC scrubbed that information from its website and only listed which ZIP codes in each county had reported at least one positive case of the coronavirus, leaving the website’s visitors wondering where the virus was spreading more rapidly. Officials said they did not want people to read too much into the data.
“The ZIP code information alone only represents people who have actually been tested. And we know that with inadequate testing supplies and with inadequate access to care, not everyone who is sick has been tested,” state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said at a Friday press conference. “And so we don’t want anybody to believe that that information in anyway says what is actually occurring in the communities and the risk for disease spread, regardless of the case counts.’’
To address that concern, McMaster also directed the agency to release an estimate of the number of infected but untested people by ZIP code, to reinforce the widespread nature of the coronavirus. On Friday, DHEC announced those estimates would be available Monday, April 6.
As of Friday afternoon, officials have announced 1,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, with 34 total deaths.
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 3, 2020 at 6:55 PM.
