Coronavirus
SC sees more than 2,200 coronavirus cases, second highest increase in one day
South Carolina’s coronavirus case count surpassed 60,000 Tuesday, after state health officials announced an additional 2,205 Palmetto State residents have tested positive.
About one in five tests announced in the daily case update were positive for the coronavirus.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control also reported that 23 more people have died after contracting COVID-19. In all, South Carolina has seen 984 deaths due to the virus.
Hospitals also are increasingly burdened with COVID-19 patients.
On Tuesday, the state set another record of hospital beds occupied by patients diagnosed with or suspected to have the sometimes deadly disease. That number jumped to 1,550 Tuesday from 1,472 Monday.
Which counties were affected?
Charleston saw the largest increase in cases with 412.
Locally, Richland County saw an increase of 232 cases, and Lexington County saw an increase of 113.
The following counties were home to patients who died after contracting COVID-19: Berkeley (3), Charleston (6), Colleton (1), Florence (1), Georgetown (2), Greenville (1), Horry (2), Lancaster (1), Lexington (2), Orangeburg (1), Sumter (2) and Williamsburg (1).
Are all cases accounted for?
DHEC estimates that only about 14% of people who contract COVID-19 get tested. As of Tuesday, that means 430,143 people have likely contracted the virus in all since March.
State health officials have also started to track what officials consider to be probable cases or probable deaths.
A probable case is someone who has not received lab test results but has virus symptoms or a positive antibody test. A probable death is someone who has not gotten a lab test but whose death certificate lists COVID-19 as a cause of death or a contributing factor.
On Tuesday, officials identified two new probable cases, but no new probable deaths.
How are hospitals being impacted?
Week after week, DHEC officials have reported record numbers of hospitalized coronavirus patients. South Carolina officials reported the highest number of hospitalized patients on Tuesday, with 1,550 of the 7,976 occupied hospital beds in the state being used by coronavirus patients. That means about 19% of beds are being occupied by COVID-19 patients.
Across the state, hospitals are at an average of about 74% capacity, officials reported Tuesday. In the Midlands, hospitals are struggling more for space. About 78% of beds in Richland County are in use, and about 76% of Lexington County beds are occupied.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has said the state is ready to implement a plan to create new bed space if hospitals become overburdened. He added he may require medical facilities to postpone elective procedures again. On Thursday, officials with the S.C. Emergency Management Division said the state had not reached that point.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
South Carolina has seen record daily coronavirus case counts since June. On Saturday, for the first time ever, the state surpassed 2,000 coronavirus cases announced in a single day.
Last week, daily case counts ranged from 934 to 2,239. The week before, they fell between 1,319 and 1,885.
DHEC officials also noted that the percentage of tests that turn up positive — another indicator of the coronavirus’ spread — has been rising over the last 28 days.
Officials reported that 21.5% of tests reported Tuesday were positive. That number is higher than what health officials saw in March and early April. In May, at its lowest point, the percentage of positive tests fell between 2% and 4% on average.
Nationally, about 8.7% of tests turn up positive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People testing positive for the coronavirus are also skewing younger, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Since June 1, there has been more than a 400% increase in people aged 21 to 30 testing positive for the virus, DHEC officials said.
On Saturday, the first South Carolina child, who was under the age of five, died after contracting the virus. And on Sunday, state health officials confirmed the state’s first two cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, an illness associated with COVID-19.
Why are case numbers up?
DHEC officials say case counts are surging because more people are leaving their homes as businesses reopen. Fewer people are practicing social distancing and wearing masks, they said.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has gradually reopened businesses since April 20, including restaurants, retailers, beaches, gyms and salons. McMaster has repeatedly said he would not consider closing businesses again or requiring South Carolinians to wear masks in response to the coronavirus case explosion.
In contrast to McMaster’s statements, state epidemiologist Linda Bell has said a statewide mask requirement could help to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Local officials have taken their own steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including in Columbia where masks are now required.
.JPG){kind=link}
Comments