SC coronavirus death toll surpasses 300 Wednesday, Richland Co. case count exceeds 1,000
South Carolina’s coronavirus death toll surpassed 300 Wednesday after state health official announced that nine more people have died.
Additionally, 97 new cases were announced by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, bringing the statewide total to 6,936.
The case load is particularly striking in Richland County that exceeded 1,000 cases of COVID-19 Wednesday. The news comes one week after MUSC and local leaders organized free testing sites in the county, attracting thousands. More testing is planned through Friday.
All nine patients who died were described as elderly and were from Allendale (1); Charleston (1); Florence (2); Lexington (1); Richland (2); Williamsburg (1) and York (1) counties.
Thousands of coronavirus patients have gone untested and unidentified across the state, DHEC officials estimate. As of Wednesday, the agency projected that there have been more than 49,500 untested cases.
About 79% of patients who tested positive for the virus have recovered.
The state will see a total of about 1,000 new coronavirus cases this week, according to DHEC projections, and have a total of 9,652 cases by May 23.
While South Carolina’s coronavirus case curve is leveling off, DHEC officials are stressing that cases will likely increase as testing is expanded.
Across the state, labs have completed 77,482 tests, 18,135 of which were done in DHEC’s lab. In all, about 1.3% of South Carolinians have been tested.
DHEC plans to nearly double the amount of testing in the state by the end of May, with a goal of testing 2% of the state’s population each month.
“This is a big step forward, and there will be more steps,” S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster said Wednesday.
McMaster was confident about South Carolina’s ability to increase testing and other measures necessary to reopen the state.
“Now we are turning the tables and chasing the virus,” McMaster said.
Still, DHEC officials hope to expand their contract tracing abilities. Currently, the department has 230 contact tracers, 100 of which were hired this week. In all, they are seeking about 1,000.
Hospitals across the state are at 65.6% capacity, with 6,601 beds in use. Of those, 484 beds are being used by residents with coronavirus or who are suspected to have the virus.
McMaster has taken several steps to jumpstart the economy, including allowing some businesses to reopen and lifting his mandatory work-or-home order. He also announced new guidelines for restaurants, allowing them to serve customers in outdoor seating. The governor also lifted restrictions on short-term rentals and a mandatory self-quarantine for tourists.
At the same time, DHEC officials and McMaster have recommended residents continue to practice social distancing. Some law enforcement agencies, including the Columbia Police Department, will enforce distancing guidelines when necessary.
New coronavirus cases
- Anderson (4)
- Bamberg (1)
- Barnwell (1)
- Beaufort (1)
- Berkeley (1)
- Charleston (1)
- Cherokee (1)
- Chesterfield (4)
- Clarendon (11)
- Darlington (3)
- Dorchester (2)
- Edgefield (3)
- Fairfield (4)
- Florence (5)
- Georgetown (2)
- Greenville (5)
- Greenwood (4)
- Horry (2)
- Kershaw (2)
- Lancaster (3)
- Lee (1)
- Lexington (8)
- Orangeburg (1)
- Richland (14)
- Saluda (2)
- Spartanburg (2)
- Sumter (1)
- Williamsburg (6)
- York (2)
This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 4:21 PM.
