SC sees more than 1,900 more test positive for COVID-19, health officials say
South Carolina health officials announced Friday that 1,921 more people tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases identified since March up to 78,298.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials also reported that 46 more people have died after contracting COVID-19.
Friday marked the 17th consecutive day the state has seen more than 1,400 cases announced.
“Please wear a mask. Stay away from the group gatherings and do the social distancing. “ DHEC’s Dr. Brannon Traxler said during a briefing with reporters. ”Please, help take care of each other because we’re truly all in this together.”
Since the first positive case was identified in the state, 1,339 South Carolinians have died from confirmed infections.
One more child was diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, a complication associated with the coronavirus. In all, five South Carolinian children have developed this syndrome.
Traxler asked parents to remain vigilant for symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, bloodshot eyes, vomiting or diarrhea.
Which counties were affected?
Charleston County saw the largest increase in cases with 219.
In the Midlands, Richland County saw 154 people test positive for COVID-19, and Lexington County saw 123.
Residents from the following counties were reported dead: Aiken (2), Anderson (1), Bamberg (1), Beaufort (2), Berkeley (4), Cherokee (1), Darlington (1), Dillon (1), Dorchester (4), Edgefield (1), Florence (1), Georgetown (1), Greenville (10), Horry (4), Jasper (1), Lancaster (1), Laurens (3), Lexington (1), Marion (1),Orangeburg (4), Richland (2), Saluda (1), Spartanburg (2) and Sumter (3).
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimate that as much as 86% of people who contract the coronavirus don’t get tested. As of Friday, DHEC estimated that 559,300 people have actually contracted COVID-19 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 Friday, they identified eight new probable cases and seven new probable deaths. In all, they are investigating 309 probable cases and 46 probable deaths.
How are hospitals being impacted?
South Carolina has seen record numbers of hospitalized coronavirus patients nearly every day in July.
As of Friday, 1,668 of 8,654 occupied hospital beds in South Carolina were being used by people diagnosed with COVID-19 or who are thought to have it. That means that 19% of occupied beds are being used by coronavirus patients.
In all, 263 of those patients are on ventilators.
Across the state, 64.59% of hospital beds are being used.
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. Officials with the S.C. Emergency Management Division have said the state had not reached that point.
But in Orangeburg County, the S.C. National Guard was called to build overflow tents to hold coronavirus patients.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
South Carolina has seen record daily coronavirus case counts since June. New cases announced in the last three weeks accounted for nearly 50% of all cases since March.
Last week, daily case counts ranged from 2,295 to 1,481. The week before, they fell between 934 to 2,239.
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 Friday 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, 680,947 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.
How are deaths trending?
Deaths reported to DHEC officials each day are delayed, so each day’s release of death numbers results in cases being added to the state’s daily death counts for previous days. For example, the 46 confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported Friday dated as far back as June 23.
Regardless, the state has seen an increase in deaths starting in late June.
On its deadliest days, around July 13 and Jul 20, the coronavirus took the lives of 38 South Carolinians each day.
This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 2:44 PM.
