Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on June 3

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

Deaths reach 500

At least 12,651 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 518 have died as of Wednesday, according to state officials.

On Wednesday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 235 new cases of COVID-19. This is the fifth consecutive day health officials have reported more than 200 new cases.

The department also reported 17 additional deaths in Aiken, Berkeley, Charleston, Darlington, Greenwood, Horry, Lancaster, Lee, Marlboro, Pickens, Spartanburg, Sumter, and York counties.

More than 6.4 million cases of the virus have been reported worldwide and more than 383,000 have died as of Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, more than 1.8 million have tested positive and more than 107,000 people have died.

Protests and coronavirus spread

Health officials are cautioning protesters to take the threat of coronavirus seriously, as large demonstrations provide a perfect opportunity for the virus to spread, The State reported.

“One thing we do know about this virus is that the louder you speak, the more likely you are to transmit if you are infected, or if you are singing at sort of a loud volume, you are more likely to transmit if you are infected,’’ said Joan Duwve, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control’s public health director.

“These are things that commonly happen at protests,’’ Duwve added. “I’m not saying they should not be done, but just that people should be aware of the increased risk.’’

Duwve said if individuals are going to go out and protest, they should still take precautions, like wearing masks and trying to social distance as much as possible under the circumstances.

DHEC warns of possible uptick in cases

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control told reporters Wednesday that it is noticing an “uptick in trends marking the spread of the coronavirus,” The State reported, adding that two factors are likely causes.

Either an increase in testing or an actual increase in new cases, or possibly both, are responsible for the uptick, according to DHEC.

“We do think some of those increased case counts represent a true increase and likely because we have seen a lot more congregating and not maintaining social distancing, not masking,” Director of Public Health Joan Duwve told reporters.

Estimate: More than 90,000 infections

Though official infection count is nearing 13,000, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control estimates that more than 90,000 residents have actually had coronavirus, The State reported.

Health officials shared the estimate Wednesday afternoon, the fifth day in a row South Carolina has seen more than 200 new cases of COVID-19.

Will protests spread virus?

After big protests in Columbia and Charleston, public health officials worry there could be a spike in coronavirus cases coming later in June, The State reports.

Doctors and public health officials told The State that yelling and singing in protests could spread the virus and that tear gas makes it easier for people to infect others.

An infectious disease expert at the Medical University of Charleston said the protests last weekend are part of a new pattern in South Carolina where people are starting to once again crowd beaches, visit stores, go back out in public and not wear masks. That could all lead to the virus continuing to spread, The State reports.

Gamecocks coach tests positive for coronavirus

University of South Carolina basketball coach Frank Martin tested positive for the coronavirus last month, The State reports.

The longtime Gamecocks coach said he did not have any symptoms when he was tested before a knee surgery in early May. Martin self-quarantined and later tested negative, according to The State. No other members of his family tested positive, Martin said.

New record for mail-in voting

State election officials say requests for mail-in ballots are at an all-time high for the June 9 primary.

S.C. State Election Commission officials said they had never issued more than 60,000 absentee ballots for a statewide primary, The State reports. This year the commission has sent out 128,000 mail-in ballots for residents.

Lawmakers decided in May to allow anyone to vote absentee in the primary because of the ongoing pandemic. The temporary mail-in voting law expires before the general election in November.

Myrtle Beach attractions reopening

Many popular tourist attractions in Myrtle Beach, including the Skywheel, Broadway at the Beach and some water parks, have reopened in the past two weeks, and more plan to open up this week, The Sun News Reports.

Tourists have streamed back into Myrtle Beach since South Carolina started reopening.

Family Kingdom Amusement Park reopened this week but the Splashes Oceanfront Water Park connected to the amusement park remains closed. Other water parks have reopened.

TopGolf in Myrtle Beach is getting ready to reopen but did not give an exact date, according to The Sun News.

Some attractions, like the Ripley’s Aquarium, are open but under limited hours. Ripley’s Haunted Adventure and Ripley’s Moving Theater remain closed.

The Ripken Experience Myrtle Beach will reopen its baseball and softball fields June 14 to host an 8-week baseball tournament with about 400 teams.

This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 7:54 AM.