SC sees 1,346 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 45 more deaths
South Carolina health officials announced Friday that 1,346 more people tested positive for COVID-19 across the state.
Since March, 88,523 South Carolinians have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials also reported that 45 more people died after contracting the virus, bringing the statewide death toll up to 1,647.
State health officials also identified a new case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, a disease that can cause organ swelling in children and is associated with the coronavirus. In all, DHEC has identified six cases.
DHEC officials did not hold a briefing with reporters Friday.
Which counties were affected?
Greenville saw the largest increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 156.
In the Midlands, Richland County saw 125 test positive, and in Lexington County, 45 tested positive for the virus.
Residents of the following counties died: Anderson (2), Bamberg (1), Beaufort (3), Calhoun (1), Charleston (4), Cherokee (1), Chester (1), Dorchester (2), Florence (2), Georgetown (1), Greenville (9), Horry (5), Laurens (1), Orangeburg (5), Pickens (2), Richland (2), Spartanburg (1), Sumter (1) and Williamsburg (1).
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimate that as much as 86% of South Carolinians who contract the virus don’t get tested. As of Friday, they estimated that 632,307 people in all have likely contracted COVID-19 since March.
DHEC officials have also begun investigating what they are calling probable cases and 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, officials reported that they were investigating 15 new probable cases and no new probable deaths. In all, DHEC is investigating 493 new probable cases and 65 probable deaths.
How are hospitals being impacted?
South Carolina has seen a record number of hospitalized coronavirus patients nearly every day in July.
Of the 1,516 people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus, 373 are in intensive care and, of those, 237 are on ventilators, state health officials said.
Only 309 of the state’s 1,447 ICU beds are available. Across the state, 78.6% of ICU beds are in use.
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.
In Orangeburg County, the S.C. National Guard was called to build overflow tents for treating coronavirus patients when necessary. The tents will open in two or three weeks, according to media reports.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
South Carolina has seen record daily coronavirus case counts since June. New cases announced in the last four weeks accounted for nearly 50% of all cases since March. Last week, daily case counts ranged from 1,368 to 2,335. The week before, they fell between 2,295 to 1,481.
The percentage of tests that turn up positive — another indicator of the coronavirus’ spread — has been high, hovering around 20% daily for the last 28 days.
On Friday, 19.1% of tests reported were positive, 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, 755,034 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. On Wednesday, he opened the remaining closed businesses while putting in place a limited statewide mask rule.
Local officials have taken their own steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including in Columbia and Richland Counties 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 45 confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported Friday dated as far back as July 14.
Regardless, the state has seen an increase in deaths starting in late June.
On its deadliest day, around July 20, the coronavirus took the lives of 53 South Carolinians.
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 2:29 PM.
