Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on May 14

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

Latest coronavirus numbers

At least 8,189 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 371 have died, according to state health officials.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 172 new cases of the virus and nine additional deaths on Thursday.

Patients who died were residents of Clarendon, Fairfield, Greenwood, Laurens, Lexington, Pickens, and Richland counties, according to health officials.

Worldwide, more than 4.4 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported and more than 302,000 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.4 million cases and 85,000 deaths have been reported in the United States.

Parole hearings will resume in June

Parole and pardon hearings haven’t been heard in two months, The State reported, but the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services will start holding them again June 2.

Hearings will be handled virtually, the Department told the outlet, and those missed in March and April have been rescheduled.

Evictions allowed starting Friday

After a two month pause on evictions, landlords can once again file to remove tenants starting Friday, The State reported, and local housing attorneys have concerns.

The temporary moratorium was put in place to ensure renters wouldn’t find themselves without a home amid the coronavirus pandemic. But measures taken to slow the spread of the virus, sich as social distancing and business closures, have left some tenants in tricky financial situations, unable to pay rent that will soon come due.

“There were people that had enough saved up to pay their April rent but couldn’t pay their May rent,” housing attorney Nicole Paluzzi told the outlet.

High school coaches: Football will be back

The State asked high school football coaches across South Carolina if they think their teams will be playing again in the fall, and of the 71 who responded, all but one said yes.

While optimistic that football will return this year, half said they doubt the season will start on time, according to the outlet.

“Playing on Aug. 21 would be tough,” River Bluff coach Blair Hardin said. “I think we are looking to see what college and NFL are going to do. Once it is announced what is going to happen, every coach will definitely just have to adjust. The biggest thing is, there are a lot of unknowns.”

State expecting lots of mail-in ballots

A temporary change in state law means more people will be able to vote by mail-in ballot in South Carolina’s June primary election. Elections officials have already gotten almost 100,000 requests for mail-in ballots for the primary, The State reports. Normally about 60,000 people vote by mail-in ballot in state primaries, officials said.

Lawmakers made the change to allow more mail-in voting for the primary because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic and a shortage of poll workers, The State reports. The temporary change will expire before the General Election in November.

32,000 more file for unemployment

More than 32,000 people filed new unemployment claims in South Carolina last week, The State reports.

The number of new filings has been dropping in recent weeks. More than 485,000 people have filed for unemployment in South Carolina since the coronavirus pandemic forced many sectors of the economy to shut down, according to new data from the Department of Employment and Workforce.

The state is now taking steps to reopen, including allowing limited indoor dining at restaurants and opening up hotels and resorts in areas that depend on the summer tourist season.

Ready to go to Myrtle Beach?

Beaches are back open on the Grand Strand and hotels are taking reservations again. Some restaurants are back open, but they are limited to 50% capacity inside and many have expanded outdoor dining by setting up tables in parking lots. Mini golf and amusement parks are still closed by state order.

The Sun News in Myrtle Beach prepared this guide for people ready to get out to the beach.

McMaster concerned over lack of masks

“People need to be careful,” Gov. Henry McMaster said Wednesday, expressing concern over a perceived lack of people wearing masks and observing social distancing, The State reported.

“You don’t need a mask everywhere, but there are many places where you do need one. Again, we urge people to pay attention to what (the) health authorities are saying.”

His statements echoed those of state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell.

“I am rather alarmed by the fact that as I try and restrict my activities in public, when I do go out, I would say that 10% of people in the businesses and stores when I have been out this past weekend had on masks,” Bell said. “From a policy standpoint, reinforcing what we can to do to prevent disease is equally important, perhaps, as finding disease that’s already present.”

School reopening guidance

Schools could start hearing recommendations on reopening from the AcceleratEd task force as soon as June 1, The State reported.

Comprised of South Carolina K-12 educators, guidance from the task force “could include ways to socially distance on school buses, how to split up classes, what to do about summer school/makeup days and more,” according to the outlet.

S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman tempered expectations, saying that recommendations offered are subject to change depending on how the coronavirus pandemic develops.

Horry County drops state of emergency

Horry County Council members voted to end the state of emergency in the county Wednesday, The Sun News reports. But the biggest cities in Horry, including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Conway, voted to keep their states of emergency in place as they work to reopen the tourist-driven economy during the pandemic.

Georgetown County, just south of Horry County, voted to continue its state of emergency.

“Canceling the formal state of emergency ordinance is largely a matter of appearances,” The Sun News reports.

USC students could get relief funds

The University of South Carolina says it plans to distribute more than $10 million in federal relief funds to eligible students, The State reports.

The money will go to more than 20,000 students at the university through the UofSC CARES plan, the school said in a news release.

Students who get federal loans or Pell Grants, and had direct expenses from when the school shutdown for the pandemic, will be eligible for to get their share of the funding, The State reports.

This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 7:41 AM.