SC surpasses 8,000 coronavirus cases Wednesday, state health officials say
South Carolina surpassed 8,000 coronavirus cases Wednesday after state Department of Health and Environmental Control officials identified 133 more people with the virus.
Richland County saw the largest increase in cases with 21. Neighboring Lexington County posted 15 new cases.
The statewide death toll now stands at 362 after seven more people diagnosed with COVID-19 died.
Five of the people who died were elderly. Two were from Clarendon County, and the rest were from Florence, Lexington and Richland counties.
Two were middle-aged, and were from Greenville and Marion counties.
DHEC officials have estimated that about 86% of people who have contracted the coronavirus have not been tested and identified by state health officials. That means tens of thousands of coronavirus cases are likely unaccounted for.
Of the people who have tested positive for the coronavirus, about 81% of them have recovered, DHEC officials said.
State health officials are expecting a total of 1,000 coronavirus cases by the end of the week, and by the end of May, that number is projected to fall to about 900 new cases per week.
By the last week of May, DHEC officials project they will have identified 10,493 coronavirus cases.
State health officials and public health experts have said the coronavirus curve is flattening in South Carolina. But the state could see a second wave of cases as S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster lifts restrictions on businesses.
Safely reopening will require more testing and contact tracing, health experts say.
DHEC has announced plans to nearly double the amount of testing by the end of May. The agency is aiming to test 2% of the state’s population each month, and they’ve already tested about 1.7% of residents.
Wednesday, DHEC announced a new testing initiative in Richland County. In partnership with Kroger Health, DHEC will conduct seven days of testing at the State Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 15, May 16, May 18, May 22, May 23, May 29 and May 30.
Testing is available by appointment only, and can be scheduled at www.thelittleclinic.com/drivethru-testing.
State health officials have also increased their contact tracing workforce by about 380, and are contracting with private companies for 1,400 more tracers.
During the last month, McMaster has begun reopening the state, most recently announcing he would lift restrictions on close-contact businesses including hair salons, tattoo parlors, nail salons, gyms and pools starting May 18. And restaurants have been allowed to open for limited dine-in services as of Monday.
The governor has also lifted restrictions on boating, short-term rentals, beaches and visitors to the state. He also lifted his mandatory work-or-home order.
DHEC officials and McMaster have recommended residents continue to practice social distancing as businesses reopen.
new coronavirus cases
- Allendale (4)
- Aiken (9)
- Anderson (2)
- Barnwell (1)
- Beaufort (2)
- Berkeley (1)
- Charleston (3)
- Chesterfield (4)
- Colleton (1)
- Darlington (1)
- Dillon (3)
- Edgefield (2)
- Fairfield (1)
- Florence (8)
- Greenville (16)
- Greenwood (4)
- Horry (4)
- Kershaw (3)
- Lancaster (1)
- Laurens (1)
- Lee (3)
- Lexington (15)
- Marlboro (2)
- Orangeburg (1)
- Pickens (3)
- Richland (21)
- Saluda (1)
- Spartanburg (3)
- Sumter (2)
- Williamsburg (3)
- York (8)
This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 5:04 PM.
