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

More that 7,000 test positive

At least 7,367 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 320 have died, according to state health officials.

On Friday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 238 new cases of COVID-19 and 4 new deaths.

DHEC estimates there are 42,000 untested positive cases of the virus in South Carolina.

More than 3.9 million cases of the coronavirus and more than 276,000 deaths have been reported worldwide. In the United States, more than 1.2 million cases and nearly 77,000 deaths have been reported, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Nursing home deaths past 100

Nursing homes and care facilities account for one-third of all coronavirus related deaths in South Carolina, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Including residents and staff, 107 patients from nursing homes have died, according to The State. Two deaths were staff members, the rest were residents.

Decision soon on gyms, salons

An announcement could be made as soon as Monday on when gyms, salons and similar “close physical contact” businesses can reopen, The State reported.

“That includes such things as barber shops, hair salons, nail salons and gyms,” Gov. Henry McMaster said Friday. “Those are the close personal contact that have been discussed by accelerateSC, and we hope to have a decision made and announced as early as Monday on those.”

Such businesses have been shuttered for more than a month, according to The State.

Indoor dining to return soon

Starting May 11, South Carolina restaurants can offer indoor dining again, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Friday.

McMaster’s decision will allow restaurants enough time to prepare, buy supplies and hire staffing, officials said according to The State.

There are still some social distancing rules restaurants will have to follow. Dining rooms can’t exceed 50% capacity, and tables must be 6-to-8 feet apart.

Boating restrictions lifted

McMaster also announced Friday that all boating restrictions implemented in response to the coronavirus outbreak are now lifted.

This means boaters can once again use public docks and other access points and are allowed to beach their boats, according to The State.

Pandemic hits state budget

Income for the State of South Carolina was down more than 40% last month, about $400 million from where budget forecasters thought it would be, The State reports.

Several factors are hitting the budget during the pandemic, including delayed state tax payments during the public health emergency and a drop in sales tax revenue because people have not been able to go to restaurants, bars and many retail stores, according to The State.

DHEC: No county-level testing data

State public health officials say they want to increase testing to check about 110,000 people per month for coronavirus, The Sun News reports. But when asked about the number of tests already given by county, officials with DHEC said that information was not available.

DHEC said it hopes to begin testing more with pop-up testing centers in urban and tourism-heavy areas like Myrtle Beach, The Sun News reports. The state is also pushing to test every resident and staff member in the state’s nursing homes, which are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks.

Meat shortages hit some restaurants

Some restaurants in the Columbia area, which are allowed to reopen for outdoor dining this week, are facing meat shortages, The State reports. Restaurant owners told the newspaper that their suppliers didn’t have enough meat in stock and ready to ship out when restaurants reopened.

There are also national problems with the meat supply. Several slaughterhouses and packing plants around the country have had outbreaks among employees, forcing large meat factories to close to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

DHEC raises concerns over nursing homes

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control is questioning whether hospitals are being diligent enough about testing patients for coronavirus before sending them to nursing homes, The State reported.

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities have been hit particularly hard by coronavirus across the country.

“The reports I’ve been getting is that patients have been admitted to the nursing facilities from the hospital, tested upon admission and found to be positive,’’ DHEC board member Sonny Kinney said. “What is the plan to test patients prior to leaving the hospital? Some of the hospital systems are doing it very effectively and others are not.”

Hospital asks for help with COVID drug

A Prisma Health-Midlands pharmacist is asking lawmakers for help getting the experimental coronavirus drug remdesivir, The State reports. The drug has shown promise for treating patients who develop the severe respiratory symptoms seen in the worst cases of COVID-19.

The Columbia hospital is involved in a clinical trial of the drug. The pharmacist, Julie Ann Justo, wants to be able to give the antiviral drug to patients not in the trial, according to The State, but federal regulators denied that request. Officials have given bigger supplies of the drug to other hospitals around the country.

Unemployment numbers continue to grow

Almost 47,000 people in South Carolina filed for new unemployment benefits last week, The State reports. This is the third week in a row that the number of new claims has dropped.

But more than 450,000 people in the state have filed for unemployment since the coronavirus pandemic reached South Carolina, according to The State. Gov. Henry McMaster has begun reopening parts of the economy, including hotels and outdoor dining at restaurants, that had been shut down to slow the spread of the virus.

Myrtle Beach’s Hard Rock Cafe laying off workers

As some parts of South Carolina’s economy reopen, Myrtle Beach’s Hard Rock Cafe just announced it will lay off 82 workers, The Sun News reports.

The Hard Rock Cafe is part of the Broadway at the Beach tourist hot spot, which has been largely closed for more than a month. The restaurant had announced furloughs for employees on April 13, according to The Sun News. Until this week, restaurants in South Carolina had been allowed to only do take-out service, but new state orders allow outdoor dining.

This story was originally published May 8, 2020 at 7:19 AM.