Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on June 19
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Record numbers continue
At least 22,608 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 639 have died, according to state health officials.
On Friday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported an additional 1,081 cases of COVID-19, surpassing the previous one-day case count record of 987 set Thursday. DHEC has recorded at least 350 new cases each day since June 4.
State health officials also reported 18 additional deaths on Friday in Charleston, Chesterfield, Colleton, Greenville, Horry, Lancaster, Newberry, Orangeburg, Spartanburg, and Sumter counties.
More than 8.6 million cases of COVID-19 and 458,000 deaths have been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, more than 2.2 million cases and 119,000 deaths have been reported.
McMaster didn’t heed DHEC reopening advice
Gov. Henry McMaster issued orders allowing South Carolina restaurants and businesses to reopen sooner than health officials with the state Department of Health and Environmental Control advised, according to The State.
Records show officials recommended opening restaurants back up no earlier than May 18. McMaster said they could open their doors May 11.
DHEC also advised waiting at least two weeks after restaurants opened before reopening “close contact” businesses like salons and barbershops, so they could have time to gauge the effect initial reopenings had on coronavirus spread. But those businesses were able to resume operations May 18, a full week earlier than the May 25 deadline health officials had suggested.
A spokesman for the governor’s office said McMaster made his decisions based on recommendations from AccelerateSC, a task force put together to determine how to best restart the state’s economy while being mindful of health and safety.
Clemson football players test positive
Clemson University said another 25 people in its athletic department have tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, including 23 football players, The State reported.
The university says it has had 315 coronavirus tests performed on student-athletes and athletic programs staff this month, and a total of 28 have come back positive.
Most of those cases have been asymptomatic, and none have required hospitalization, according to the school.
Tourism to blame for COVID surge in Horry County?
Coronavirus cases are spiking across the state and Horry County is no exception — but data suggests tourism may be closely linked to the growing case counts in Myrtle Beach, The Sun News reported.
Cases counts were low in the area when Myrtle Beach decided to reopen hotels on May 15. Two weeks later, numbers start trending upward fast, reaching 143 new cases on June 18.
What’s the plan to reopen schools?
The task force in charge of the plan to reopen South Carolina schools released its latest plan Friday.
The guidelines finalized Friday include social distancing on buses and in classrooms, protocols for wearing masks, and what to do about students congregating in big groups, The State reports.
The task force said they will continue to monitor the coronavirus pandemic and could change their recommendations.
Depending on how the case numbers progress this summer, some districts may need to delay the start of the school year, according to The State.
USC freezes tuition
The University of South Carolina will freeze tuition for the next school year, The State reports. But costs for room and board at Columbia and Upstate campuses will increase.
University leaders froze tuition increases in hopes of minimizing a drop in enrollment from the coronavirus pandemic, according to The State. The university has also cut pay for coaches and top administrators, delayed big repairs and decided to wait on the construction of a new dorm.
‘Wear a mask,’ health official pleads
With coronavirus case counts reaching record highs across South Carolina, state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell is pleading for residents to follow COVID-19 health guidelines, The State reported.
“Every one of us has a role to play in stopping COVID-19. This virus does not spread on its own. It’s spread around our state by infected people who carry it wherever they go — their work, the supermarket, the post office, a friend’s house. By not following public health precautions, many are putting all at risk,” Bell said.
Health officials, and Gov. Henry McMaster, have in past weeks asked that the public take safety recommendations seriously, but Bell’s comments Thursday were some of “the most forceful yet,” according to The State.
“It is essential that each of us, every day, wear a mask in public and stay physically distanced from others,” Bell said.
Lawmakers divvy out COVID aid
South Carolina lawmakers are looking at how to spend $1.9 billion in federal coronavirus aid.
Proposals for the money include shoring up the state’s unemployment fund, which has been hard hit during the pandemic, reimburse local governments for spending on the virus, improve rural broadband access and other programs, The State reports.
The S.C. Department of Education could see funding for “summer catch-up camps” to help kids get ready for the new school year and add five days of instruction to next year’s calendar, according to The State.
See the full list of funding proposals from the coronavirus aid package.
Strip club deemed ‘essential’ in North Myrtle
Thee Dollhouse, a strip club in the North Myrtle Beach area, reopened Thursday. The state Department of Commerce granted essential business status to Back Bay Group/Crazy Horse, operating as Thee Dollhouse, to allow the club to reopen, The Sun News reports.
Theaters, nightclubs and adult entertainment venues are still listed as nonessential businesses in South Carolina and are not allowed to open without special permission from the state.
Where to get tested
There are 173 permanent COVID-19 testing sites in South Carolina. The list of screening sites and details on getting tested are available on the DHEC website.
DHEC also has 88 mobile testing events scheduled around the state. The mobile testing sites are part of the state’s efforts to test more people in rural and underserved communities in South Carolina. More information on the mobile coronavirus testing schedule is available on the DHEC site.
What people are talking about
The possibility of face mask requirements in South Carolina is a divisive issue. The Social Media Insights Lab at the University of South Carolina dug into what people are saying about it online. Read more here.
This story was originally published June 19, 2020 at 7:29 AM.