Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on June 23
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases top 26,000
At least 26,572 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 673 have died, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday reported an additional 890 cases of the virus, and nearly 100 more hospitalizations due to COVID-19. A total of 824 hospital beds are filled with people diagnosed with coronavirus, or who are suspected to have it, up from 731 on Monday.
Health officials also reported an additional 14 deaths Tuesday— in Beaufort, Charleston, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Horry, Lexington, Marlboro, and Spartanburg counties
More than 9.1 million cases of COVID-19 and 474,000 deaths have been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, more than 2.3 million cases and 121,000 deaths have been reported.
Columbia requires face masks
The Columbia City Council voted 6-1 in favor of a measure requiring people to wear face masks while in public or within six feet of anyone else to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Anyone caught violating the new ordinance, which goes into effect Friday at 6 a.m., can be issued a $25 ticket. The new rule is set to expire after 60 days.
“Masks work,” Mayor Steve Benjamin said. “This is not a perfect resolution but a step of the right direction.”
Decal program IDs restaurants following COVID-19 rules
Gov. Henry McMaster announced a new program Tuesday to help residents identify restaurants that are taking coronavirus safety precautions seriously, The State reported.
The Palmetto Priority initiative gives restaurants the opportunity to stand out with a state-issued decal, which can be earned by adhering to cleaning and safety guidelines, taking online safety courses, and undergoing a food inspection by the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Restaurants that complete those tasks will be given an 8-inch decal to display.
“If you go into a restaurant and it doesn’t have this decal, that doesn’t have this seal, go somewhere else,” McMaster said. “That’s what I would do. That’s what I’m going to do. That’s what I encourage everyone to do.”
Return to school unlikely under current trends
Molly Spearman, the state Superintendent of Education, said a return to in-person classes by this fall is unlikely if coronavirus continues to spread and cases continue to rise as they have in recent weeks, The State reported.
“If it continues on the same path we’re on right now it’s going to be extremely difficult for us to be able to go back face-to-face,” Spearman said at a Monday news conference. “Hopefully we’ll see a change and things will start decreasing.”
Dominion extends ‘no disconnect’ policy
As coronavirus case counts continue to rise in South Carolina, Dominion Energy says it will not disconnect power until mid-September for customers unable to pay, The State reported.
The company has had a moratorium on disconnections since March in response to financial challenges many are facing as a result of the coronavirus, and was legally required to halt disconnections until May 14. Dominion has also been offering financial help and flexible payment plans.
More Myrtle Beach vacationers infected
A group of about 90 students from Ohio and neighboring West Virginia visited Myrtle Beach, and now 14 of them have tested positive for the coronavirus, The Sun News reports.
The students returned to Belmont County, Ohio, on June 14 and some started to show symptoms of the virus five days later, Ohio public health officials said. The new outbreak comes a week after dozens of people in West Virginia tested positive for COVID-19 after vacationing in Myrtle Beach.
Debating legal protections for businesses
Lawmakers are debating whether to give legal protection to South Carolina businesses that open as the coronavirus pandemic continues. The legislation could protect companies from lawsuits if customers or employees contract the virus, The State reports.
The South Carolina House and Senate have two different proposals in the works that would protect businesses from legal liability during the pandemic, according to The State. The Senate bill is broader and would give workers’ compensation benefits to employees who contract the virus on the job.
Both bills include guidelines for businesses to follow to stop the spread of the virus, but what those guidelines are and how strictly they would be enforced is still up for debate, The State reports.
What people are talking about
As the number of coronavirus cases in South Carolina has increased, so too have social media conversations about it. The University of South Carolina Social Media Insights Lab dug into what people are saying. Read more here.
This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 7:12 AM.