Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on July 12
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases top 56,000
At least 56,485 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina, and 950 have died, according to state health officials.
On Sunday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 1,952 new cases of the virus, down from 2,239 reported Saturday — an all-time daily high since the start of the pandemic and surpassing the previous record of 1,885 daily cases.
Officials also reported 10 additional deaths Sunday.
More than 22% of coronavirus tests reported Sunday came back positive. The increase in positive tests is an indicator of the spread of the virus.
First MIS-C cases reported
Health officials on Sunday reported South Carolina’s first cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C.
The syndrome is a rare complication that can be deadly in children and teenagers who’ve had COVID-19 or been in contact with someone who is infected.
On Sunday, health officials said two children in South Carolina have been diagnosed with it.
Both are under the age of 10. One is from the Midlands region and the other from the Pee Dee region.
“We continue to see more and more young people, especially those under 20, contracting and spreading COVID-19, and we know MIS-C is a threat to our youngest South Carolinians,” Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist, said in a news release. “MIS-C is a serious health complication linked to COVID-19 and is all the more reason why we must stop the spread of this virus.”
In-person USC graduation canceled
The University of South Carolina canceled its plans for an in-person graduation ceremony this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
USC President Bob Caslen sent a letter to recent graduates Saturday explaining the situation and saying that holding a large gathering such as the planned commencement ceremony wouldn’t be safe.
Commencement was planned for Aug. 8 at the football stadium but will now be held virtually on the same day.
The university still hopes to celebrate the recent graduates in the future, and they will be invited to the next in-person commencement ceremony that the school is able to hold.
First child death reported
The first coronavirus death of a child in South Carolina was reported Saturday.
The child lived in Chester County and was under the age of 5, state health officials said. No other information was released about the child for privacy reasons.
“Today, we mourn the loss of one of our children to this virus. It is heart-wrenching to lose a child under any circumstances, and especially so during a time when we have all lost so much already,” Dr. Joan Duwve, DHEC Public Health Director, said in a release Saturday.
Shortages loom
Shortages of drugs and health care workers are possible if hospitalizations keep surging in South Carolina.
On Saturday, 1,396 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in South Carolina. The state surpassed 1,000 daily hospitalizations for the first time June 29 and the count hasn’t dropped below 1,000 since.
A Prisma Health, one of the state’s largest hospital systems, doctor told The State physicians already are facing drug shortages, which forces them to make decisions about who gets treatment. Representatives of hospitals on the coast say they’re worried about exhausting their workforce.
“I am asking you all to take action, because if we don’t ... we will see more of our friends, our family members and our loved ones become ill, become hospitalized, become ventilated and die,” Duwve said during a news conference on Friday.
This story was originally published July 12, 2020 at 10:38 AM.
