SC coronavirus cases top 4,300, another middle-aged death reported
South Carolina health officials announced 136 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, as well one additional death.
The new COVID-19 count brings South Carolina to 4,377 total cases and deaths, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The most recent confirmed death occurred in a middle-aged individual with no known underlying health conditions who was from Jasper County. There have been now 120 COVID-19 related deaths in the state.
There were 25 new cases reported in Richland County, bringing its total to 652. Lexington County had three new cases and, in Kershaw County, two.
The number of cases statewide is expected to continue to climb. The state will likely see its peak of identified cases around May 2, and DHEC officials have predicted that 217 residents will have died by Aug. 4.
Since March 28, there have more than 100 positive COVID-19 tests each day in South Carolina with the high of 276 in a single day on April 16.
The daily death total in South Carolina is trending downward after a record 16 were reported on April 9. No coronavirus-related deaths are predicted after May 23, according to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, which sets model DHEC follows
As of Sunday, DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory has conducted 12,080 tests for COVID-19. Of these tests, 1,489 were positive and 10,591 were negative. A total of 40,480 total tests by both DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory and private labs have been conducted in the state. The Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.
About two-thirds of S.C. patients, or 67 percent, have recovered from the disease, according to DHEC.
A 30-year-old nursing student at the University of South Carolina Aiken also was a victim of the coronavirus pandemic, the school announced on Saturday.
Symptoms of coronavirus can include a fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing, according to the CDC. Among the emergency warning signs of COVID-19 is trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, and blueish lips or face, the CDC said.
DHEC is encouraging people to practice social distancing to help stop the spread of the virus. Social distancing is staying away from unnecessary interactions with sick people and from large groups of people; it also calls for remaining at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out.
The best way to prevent infection is to frequently wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC. DHEC also recommends covering your cough, staying home when sick, and disposing tissues and other items that you’ve sneezed or coughed into.
Free online screenings can be accessed by all South Carolina residents, by going to scdhec.gov/COVID19.
Prisma Health is also offering free access to medical professionals for those who think they may have coronavirus, The State reported. People experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can go to https://www.prismahealth.org/virtual-visit/ and schedule a free online visit, Prisma officials said.
As of Sunday afternoon, 2,382,064 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 165,636 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads the world with 742,442 people who have been diagnosed with the novel virus. In the U.S. 40,585 deaths have been reported, including 14,451 in New York City.
This story was originally published April 19, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
