Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on July 11
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
First SC child dies and record high new cases
A Chester County child is the first South Carolina child to die from the coronavirus, state health officials said on Saturday. The child was under five years old.
Saturday, the state set a record for new COVID-19 cases with 2,239 more people being diagnosed with the virus.
At least 54,538 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina, and 940 have died, according to state health officials.
More than 1,000 cases have been reported each day but one since June 22.
DHEC reported 18 deaths Saturday.
More than 22% of COVID-19 tests were positive in Saturday’s results, a record for the percent of positive tests, health officials said.
Worldwide, more than 12.4 million cases of the coronavirus and more than 559,000 deaths have been reported, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, more than 3.1 million cases and more than 134,000 deaths have been reported.
Horry County surge continues
Coronavirus cases continued to skyrocket in the Myrtle Beach area Saturday, according to the latest figures from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Horry County had 208 new cases as of Saturday, bringing the county’s total to 5,583 since mid-March. Horry County’s death total rose by five with the total now at 72. Two of the new deaths were elderly individuals, two were middle-aged people and one was a young adult, according to DHEC.
2 in 5 SC teachers face higher risk from COVID-19
Two out of five staff members at South Carolina schools have underlying health conditions putting them at an increased risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19, according to a statewide survey, The State reported.
The survey was conducted by teacher advocacy group SC for Ed, and collected over 7,000 responses between July 6 and 9, according to the organization.
Obesity was the most common condition reported, followed by type 2 diabetes. There are well over a dozen other conditions recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as putting effected individuals at increased risk, including kidney disease, COPD, serious heart conditions, and more.
McMaster restricts alcohol sales
Gov. Henry McMaster announced Friday the state will start restricting alcohol sales to curb the spread of COVID-19 among young people.
Under the new rules, no alcohol will be served past 11 p.m. starting Saturday. Any bar or restaurant caught violating McMaster’s order could lose their liquor licenses, The State reports.
Adults under the age of 35 make up a majority of the recent spike in new cases in South Carolina, state health officials have said.
People between 21 and 30 account for 22% of all coronavirus cases in the state — the “highest percentage of any age group tracked” by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, The State reports.
No mask mandate
McMaster held his ground Friday in declining to issue a statewide mask mandate as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, saying it would be impossible to enforce and could create a “false sense of security.”
“This is an order that a state can enforce,” McMaster said, referring to the new alcohol-related order. “Other things like masks ... the state has a very difficult (time) trying to enforce a statewide mask order because one size does not fit all.”
State health department officials have urged South Carolina residents to wear a mask for months, and several local governments have instituted their own mask requirements — including Beaufort, Charleston, Clemson, Columbia, Florence, Hilton Head, Horry County, Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill and Spartanburg.
Cases at Duke’s Mayonnaise plant, produce farm
Several workers at a Duke’s Mayonnaise plant in Greenville County have tested positive for COVID-19, the company said in a statement Friday.
Representatives from Duke’s did not say how many employees had tested positive but said products from the facility are still safe for consumption.
“The safety of our products has never been in jeopardy, and we continue to work hard to meet the growing demand while ensuring the well-being of our people, who are our most valuable asset,” Martin Kelly, CEO of Duke’s parent company, Sauer Brands, said in the statement.
He also said the company has followed all safety guidelines outlined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Nonetheless, at our Mauldin plant we have had some employees test positive for COVID-19 and we’ve taken aggressive action as a result, including temporary closure of our facility for deep cleaning and providing mandatory testing among potentially exposed employees,” Kelly said.
Duke’s announcement comes at the same time a major produce farm in Lexington County revealed several workers had tested positive for the virus.
A spokesperson for the family-owned WP Rawl, which employs about 650 people, told The State on Friday that “fewer than 10” workers were infected. According to the spokesperson, the farm has followed recommendations from the CDC and instituted a daily “robust food safety and sanitation protocol.”
“The guidelines recommend infected employees quarantine for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms or until they have no fever for three days without the use of fever-reducing medicines and their other symptoms have improved,” The State reports. “Close contacts or those who live in the same home as coronavirus-positive workers are also supposed to self-isolate.”
Town of Clover considering mask mandate
As municipal and local governments create requirements to wear mask, the Town of Clover will debate its own ordinance on the face coverings next week.
Clover Mayor Greg Holmes said July 7 a mask requirement will be on that July 13 agenda and he supports it. The 6:30 p.m. meeting July 13 will be held at the community center and is open to the public.
This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 7:59 AM.