SC coronavirus cases climb to 3,439; death toll rises to 87
In a sobering reminder of just how deadly COVID-19 can be, state public health officials announced Monday that five additional South Carolinians have died after contracting the coronavirus, bringing the total death toll in the state to 87.
State health officials also announced Monday another 127 people have tested positive for the novel virus, taking the state’s new case count to 3,439.
A majority of the people who have died from the virus, including those announced Monday have been described by state health officials as elderly with underlying health conditions that included respiratory problems. Two of the people whose deaths were announced Monday were from Greenville County, and the other three people were from Aiken, Beaufort and Kershaw counties.
The coronavirus causes COVID-19, a potentially severe respiratory infection.
In total, the state’s health agency projects 572 South Carolinians will die by Aug. 4 as a result of the coronavirus.
“Let’s continue to remember these are not just numbers,” said Brannon Traxler, a physician with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. “They are people. None of us is immune to this disease, and there currently is no vaccine.”
Health officials still say, however, that the state is nowhere near the peak of positive cases, projecting thousands more.
State health officials said new projections show South Carolina could report nearly 2,000 new COVID-19 cases per week by early May, with the number of cases projected to rise to 8,677 on May 2.
For example, in Richland County, 30 new cases of COVID-19 were reported on Monday, bringing the county’s total positive number of cases to 524. Health officials project the county’s total possible cases could reach 3,743 cases.
Why counties, including Richland County, have higher numbers of cases, officials said they weren’t sure.
“I don’t have an answer for you as to why there are more cases there as versus other counties,” Traxler said.
Gov. Henry McMaster and other local leaders have sought to further halt the virus’ spread.
Over the weekend, the governor for the second time re-upped his statewide emergency order closing schools through April, shutting the doors of nonessential businesses with some exceptions, cutting off public access to state beaches and other waterways and giving local authorities the ability to break up groups of three or more people.
He also has mandated a “home or work” directive and ensured furloughed employees qualify for unemployment benefits.
New COVID-19 cases as of April 13
▪ Aiken — 1
▪ Anderson — 3
▪ Berkeley — 7
▪ Charleston — 12
▪ Chester — 1
▪ Chesterfield — 1
▪ Clarendon — 1
▪ Colleton — 1
▪ Darlington — 4
▪ Dorchester — 2
▪ Fairfield — 2
▪ Florence — 7
▪ Greenville — 7
▪ Greenwood — 1
▪ Hampton — 2
▪ Horry — 13
▪ Jasper — 1
▪ Kershaw — 2
▪ Lancaster — 1
▪ Lee — 2
▪ Marlboro — 1
▪ Pickens — 3
▪ Richland — 30
▪ Saluda — 1
▪ Spartanburg — 14
▪ Sumter — 4
▪ Union — 1
▪ York —2
* S.C. DHEC said Lexington County lost six cases and Marion County lost one case from its total counts after the individuals were determined to be residents of other counties and states.
This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 5:31 PM.
