Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on May 6
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
New cases reported
At least 6,936 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 305 have died, according to state health officials.
On Wednesday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 97 new cases of COVID-19 and 9 new deaths.
DHEC estimates there are 42,000 untested positive cases of the virus in South Carolina.
More than 3.7 million cases of the coronavirus and more than 262,000 deaths have been reported worldwide. In the United States, more than 1.2 million cases and nearly 73,000 deaths have been reported.
Second inmate dies of coronavirus
Bryan Furman, an inmate at the Allendale Correctional Institution, has died due to coronavirus, The State reported.
Furman, 60, is the second S.C. Department of Corrections inmate to die from coronavirus. Another inmate at Allendale, 70-year-old James Slater, died just one day earlier.
Both men had underlying health conditions, officials told The State.
Wanted: contact tracers
The state is looking to hire 800 contact tracers, people tasked with tracking down individuals infected with coronavirus to prevent further spread, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Wednesday.
S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control aims to have 1,000 contact tracers in total, as part of a larger effort to keep coronavirus in check. In March, DHEC only had 20 members in its contact tracing division, The State reported.
“We want to have a rapid response, knowing that people quickly become infectious with this illness,” said Dr. Joan Duwve, DHEC’s director of public health. “We can’t wait five days or seven days to start doing that contact tracing. So we’re going to need an army of contact tracers to help us respond in short time to somebody who has a positive diagnosis.”
More openings possible this week
Gov. Henry McMaster said the state could be announcing more businesses will be allowed to open by the end of the week, but that officials are waiting to see how reopening measures enacted so far have affected the spread of coronavirus, The State reported.
“We’re being very careful, and we hope to be able to announce something in maybe even before the week is out, of some future dates,” McMaster told reporters, during a briefing on COVID-19 in the state. “That’s a, we’re calculating, gathering information to make those decisions. We want to make them as ... soon as we can to reopen things. ... But also it must be safe.”
DHEC plans nursing home tests
Public health officials say they plan to test every resident and staff member in South Carolina nursing homes for the coronavirus by the end of the month, according to The State.
Nursing homes around the country have been particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks.
DHEC plans to send testing kits to all 194 long-term care homes in South Carolina, and skilled nursing staff at each site will conduct the tests, The State reports.
USC back on campus for fall
The University of South Carolina says it plans to have students back on campus for the fall semester, The State reports. The university moved all classes online in March because of the growing coronavirus pandemic.
The school will have a phased return for students and faculty, and “the university will implement social distancing, altered dining options, increase the number of dorm rooms in which only one person is a resident and more,” according to The State.
New website for information
McMaster on Tuesday announced a new website to serve as a central hub for coronavirus information in South Carolina.
The governor said the site, accelerate.sc.gov, includes information on the state’s executive orders, tax relief for struggling businesses, advice for staying healthy and updates on reopening the state.
Harley-Davidson rally this summer?
The annual spring motorcycle rallies have been postponed until the fall, but organizers of the Harley-Davidson rally want to add a new event this summer as the pandemic precautions are lifted.
The Horry County Council voted to back a summer rally for the week of July 13, The Sun News reports.
The vote clears the way for county government to issue vendor and special event permits during the week, according to The Sun News. Businesses along the Grand Strand have been hit hard by the pandemic, with tourism one of the biggest drivers of the economy in the Myrtle Beach area.
Lancaster County plans reopening
Officials in Lancaster County are planning a phased reopening starting May 11, following a 14-day decline in reported coronavirus cases, according to the Rock Hill Herald.
“While we are eager to fully return to normal operations as soon as possible, the safety and well-being of the public, our employees, and their families drive our decisions,” said Steve Willis, county administrator. “This phased approach allows us to reopen smartly with the ability to revert back to our current status if needed.”
SC hospitals in COVID-19 drug trial
Prisma Health and Lexington Medical Center are part of a medical trial for a drug gaining traction as a possible coronavirus treatment, The State reports.
The hospitals are part of the Food and Drug Administration’s fast-tracked trials on remdesivir. Dr. Anthony Fauci, with the White House’s coronavirus task force, has said the drug showed promise in earlier trials.
This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 7:18 AM.
