We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.

Latest coronavirus cases

At least 4,246 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina, and 119 people have died, according to public health officials.

Officials reported 165 new cases and three deaths Saturday, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Two of the deaths were in Horry County, bringing the death toll in that county to 12. Both were elderly with underlying conditions, The Sun News reports. The third death was a middle-aged person in Aiken County with no underlying health conditions, DHEC said.

More than 2.3 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide with more than 158,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 718,000 confirmed cases and more than 37,000 deaths.

Beaches opening next week?

State Sen. Stephen Goldfinch said South Carolina’s beach accesses could open next week, The Sun News reports. Goldfinch, who represents coastal areas of Horry, Georgetown and Charleston counties, made the announcement on Facebook.

There has been no official announcement from Gov. Henry McMaster, who closed public beach accesses March 30.

Two-thirds of SC patients have recovered

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 4,000 Friday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced that 67% of those have recovered from the illness, according to The State.

“It’s really just an indication, so that you and your readers and viewers can understand that not all of those 4,000 odd cases are actively showing signs of symptoms,” Nick Davidson, the DHEC incident commander for COVID-19, told reporters on a conference call.

30 city employees quarantined in Myrtle Beach

Thirty city employees, including some in the police department, are in quarantine after a Myrtle Beach city employee tested positive for the virus, The Sun News reports.

A city spokesman said the employees are all in the police and building maintenance departments. He would not say how many police officers are in quarantine but said, “the department’s operations are not affected.”

Call to increase rural coronavirus tracking

State Rep. Wendy Brawley, a Richland County Democrat, is calling on Gov. Henry McMaster to improve coronavirus data collection and to track confirmed cases by ZIP codes, arguing that cases are being undercounted in rural areas, The State reported.

“A low number of positive test results does not mean that the virus is not vastly prevalent in certain ZIP codes, but most likely means that fewer tests are being offered to residents in those zip code areas,” Brawley said in the letter sent Friday to McMaster.

This story was originally published April 18, 2020 at 7:56 AM.