More than 1,800 test positive for COVID-19 in SC
South Carolina health officials announced Wednesday that 1,850 more people have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the state since March up to 62,071.
The state continued the trend of seeing high percentages of people who are tested receive positive results, an indicator that the virus is spreading more rapidly. On Wednesday, one in five tests reported were positive for COVID-19.
Department of Health and Environmental control officials reported no additional deaths with confirmed ties toCOVID-19, though officials did announce five probable deaths due to the coronavirus.
In all, the state has reported 984 deaths of people confirmed to have had the coronavirus.
Which counties were affected?
Charleston County continued to lead the state with the largest single-day increase in cases. Officials identified 214 new cases of COVID-19 in the county.
Locally, Richland County saw 184 people test positive for the coronavirus. Lexington County saw 71 newly identified cases.
Are all cases accounted for?
About 86% of South Carolinians who contract COVID-19 never get tested, DHEC officials estimate. As of Wednesday, they estimated that the number of people who have actually contracted the virus since March is closer to 443,400.
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 Wednesday, they identified five new probable cases and five new probable deaths.
How are hospitals being impacted?
Nearly every day in July, South Carolina has seen a record number of hospitalized people diagnosed with the coronavirus or who are thought to have it.
On Wednesday, 1,560 of 7,853 occupied beds were being used by coronavirus patients, up only slightly from the 1,550 reported Tuesday. That means about 20% of beds are being occupied by COVID-19 patients.
Of those patients, 206 were on ventilators.
Across the state, about 73% of hospital beds are in use by all patients, though locally, that percentage is higher. About 83% of Richland County beds are in use, while 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 both Saturday and Tuesday, the state saw more than 2,000 newly identified coronavirus cases, setting a record for daily case counts.
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 21.6% of tests reported Wednesday 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.
In all, 572,823 tests have been completed since March.
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.
This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 2:14 PM.
