SC coronavirus death toll surpasses 200. 5,881 cases reported Wednesday
South Carolina’s coronavirus death toll exceeded 200 Wednesday after health officials announced 11 new deaths.
In all, 203 residents have died after being diagnosed with COVID-19, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Of the new deaths:
- Six of the patients were described as elderly and five were middle-aged.
- They were from Beaufort, Berkeley, Clarendon, Florence, Greenville and Richland counties.
- Clarendon and Greenville counties announced the most deaths with three each. Florence County posted two, while the other counties reported one each.
Meanwhile, the number of cases continues to climb: 130 new ones were announced Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 5,881.
Greenville County saw the largest increase with 26 new cases Wednesday.
Locally, Richland County saw 20 new cases, while Lexington County saw nine.
The actual number of South Carolinians with the virus is likely much higher. DHEC officials projected Wednesday about 42,000 cases across the state.
They also estimated that about 76% of patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus have recovered.
DHEC officials have also projected about 1,200 positive tests per week through mid-May — a daily average of 171 . State health officials have also projected that they will have confirmed 9,064 cases by May 16.
The first cases of coronavirus in South Carolina popped up in Kershaw and Charleston counties on March 6. Nearly every day since, DHEC officials have identified new cases.
By the end of March, DHEC had counted more than 1,000 identified cases. Case counts have fluctuated each day because of shortages in a chemical reagent needed for COVID-19 tests.
In all, Palmetto State labs have completed 54,217 tests, 14,862 of which were done at DHEC’s lab.
S.C. hospitals are at 60.7% capacity. Of the abut 7,000 beds available across the state, 311 are being used by patients with known or suspected cases of the virus, according to DHEC.
As COVID-19 continues to spread across South Carolina, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has ordered that some retail businesses be allowed to open, as well as public beaches. South Carolina has not met several criteria set by the White House for reopening the economy though.
Schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year, McMaster announced last week.
New coronavirus cases
- Aiken (3)
- Anderson (6)
- Barnwell (1)
- Beaufort (2)
- Chesterfield (1)
- Clarendon (9)
- Darlington (3)
- Dillon (3)
- Edgefield (3)
- Fairfield (1)
- Florence (9)
- Greenville (26)
- Greenwood (2)
- Kershaw (4)
- Lancaster (3)
- Lexington (9)
- Marlboro (1)
- Orangeburg (3)
- Richland (20)
- Spartanburg (5)
- Sumter (3)
- Williamsburg (4)
- York (9)
This story was originally published April 29, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
