Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on June 11

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

Cases top 16,000

At least 16,441 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 588 have died, according to state health officials.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 687 new coronavirus cases Thursday, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic began in the state.

The number of COVID-19 tests that have come back positive has jumped above 13% in recent days. That’s higher than the average of 9% to 11% in March and April.

“When that goes up, that is an indicator that we are detecting more sick people in a population,” state epidemiologist Linda Bell said Wednesday, according to The State.

More than 7.3 million cases of the virus and 413,000 deaths have been reported worldwide as of Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, more than 2 million positive cases and 112,000 deaths have been reported.

Maskless in Myrtle Beach

Staff at The Sun News spent five hours in various locations around Horry County to answer the question, how many people are wearing masks? Not many, it turns out.

Final results of their count found fewer than 20% of people were covering up their mouth and nose, and in popular tourist areas the number was even lower.

As the state reopens, health officials have cautioned South Carolinians to continue social distancing and wearing masks to prevent spreading the coronavirus.

Positive tests increasing

Nearly 1 in 7 South Carolina residents tested for coronavirus in the last day had positive tests, the State Department of Health and Environmental Control said Thursday.

“We and other public health officials are concerned about this recent upturn of cases in South Carolina,” DHEC’s Director of Public Health Joan Duwve said, and there are indications the virus is spreading in the state faster than ever.

“The percent positivity rates over the past week or so have been high,” Duwve said. “What that says to us is we’re seeing a real increase in disease activity.”

New unemployment claims increase

Nearly 23,000 people filed initial unemployment claims in South Carolina last week, an increase of more than 3,500 reported the week before.

The uptick breaks a seven-week stretch of declining numbers of initial applications for jobless benefits, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce said Thursday.

More than 582,000 people in the state have filed initial claims in the past 12 weeks, according to the agency, The State reported.

‘Individual responsibility’ is the answer

Though coronavirus case counts are surging to new highs across South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster says he won’t order any businesses closed, or require residents to wear masks, The State reported.

“At this point, the answer is individual responsibility, not mandates from the government,” McMaster said during a Wednesday press conference.

Golf courses ease restrictions

Golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area have loosened some restrictions put in place as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.

In some cases, courses have gone back to having two players in a cart, The Sun News reports. Rules had previously shifted to have only one player per cart to allow for social distancing.

Many courses across South Carolina eased cart restrictions when the governor started to ease rules for restaurants, bars and other businesses, Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association Executive Director Tracy Conner told The Sun News.

Some precautions remain, however, including cart sanitizing and shallow cups.

Hospital beds filling up

The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in South Carolina has been increasing.

On Saturday, 482 patients with the virus were being treated in hospitals, The State reported. By Monday, the number jumped to 541.

In six counties on Tuesday, 80% of hospital beds were occupied, according to data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, The Island Packet reported. Four counties saw hospital-bed occupancy rates above 90% last week.

But the higher occupancy rates could be due to hospitals returning to a pre-pandemic normal as they resume elective surgeries, officials say.

“It’s not unusual for hospitals to be hovering in the 80 to 85% range during a non-emergent situation in South Carolina,” Nick Davidson with DHEC said last week.

This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 7:45 AM.