1 in 7 tested positive as SC hit new high of 687 COVID-19 cases in a day
Roughly one-seventh of South Carolinians tested for the coronavirus over the last day received positive results, according to a statement from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
On Thursday, state health officials announced an additional 687 people had tested positive for COVID-19, up from 528 the day before — and a new record for cases announced in a single day.
That number was 14.3% of the total number of tests reported Thursday — considerably higher than the average percentage of positive tests that state health officials have been recording each day, even in March and April when COVID-19 was quickly spreading across South Carolina.
During the first few weeks of the coronavirus’ spread, DHEC officials reported that about 9-11% of tests they completed each day were positive. Over the past three days, state health authorities have seen that figure increase to between 13.4-14.9%.
“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 told reporters Thursday on a conference call.
The percentage of positive tests is an important bellwether for how quickly the coronavirus is spreading through a community, DHEC officials have said.
“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.”
Paired with high case counts — six days in the past week have seen more than 400 cases — and a rising hospitalization rate, state health officials say all the signs point to the fact that the virus is spreading faster than before.
“We do worry that we’ll continue to see an upward trend ... unless we start to buckle down and take this seriously as we should,” Duwve said.
The report of 687 new coronavirus cases broke DHEC’s single-day increase record. The announcement comes as the state is experiencing a significant increase in COVID-19 activity.
Both DHEC and outside health officials have said the increase is due to more people leaving their houses and fewer observing social distancing guidelines and wearing masks. Some health experts have said that may lead to later outbreaks.
DHEC has stressed the importance of continuing to social distance and wear masks while out in public.
