SC surpasses 100,000 cases of COVID-19, DHEC reports lowest case count since June
South Carolina surpassed 100,000 confirmed coronavirus cases Monday after state health officials announced that 718 more people tested positive for the virus.
Monday’s case report brings the total number of Palmetto State residents diagnosed with the virus up to 100,431.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control also announced that 17 more people have died after contracting COVID-19, bringing the death toll up to 1,966.
Monday’s report featured two statistics that show the spread of the disease could be slowing down: the lowest daily case count since June 17 and the lowest percentage of positive COVID-19 tests reported in months.
State health officials did not hold a briefing with reporters Monday.
Which counties were affected?
Greenville County had the largest increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases with 85.
In the Midlands, Richland County had 61 residents test positive, and Lexington County had 24 new cases.
Horry County had the most reported deaths, with two elderly and one middle-aged person dying after contracting the coronavirus. Charleston and Hampton counties had two deaths each. Berkeley, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Jasper, Lancaster, Lexington, Oconee, Orangeburg and Richland counties had one death each.
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimate that up to 86% of South Carolinians who contract the virus don’t get tested. As of Monday, they estimated that 717,364 people in all have likely contracted COVID-19 since March.
DHEC has also been recording 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 Monday, state health officials reported six new probable cases and one new probable death. That brings the total number of probable cases up to 728 and total probable deaths to 83.
How are hospitals being impacted?
Starting in late June, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients has steadily increased.
The number of coronavirus patients hospitalized at one time peaked at more than 1,700 on July 23, and the state has seen small decreases in those daily numbers since. Some data since late July was unavailable, though, because DHEC is transitioning to a new tracking system, which would give more precise information about COVID-19-related hospital conditions.
Of the 1,353 people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus, 360 are in intensive care and, of those, 217 are on ventilators, state health officials said Monday.
Across the state, 2,467 of 10,425 total hospital beds are available, meaning 76% of 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.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
South Carolina has seen more than 1,000 new cases reported nearly every day since June 24. New cases announced in the last four weeks accounted for nearly 44% of all cases since March. Last week, daily case counts ranged from 1,105 to 1,295, a decline from the previous week, when case count ranged from 1,170 to 1,666.
State health officials said Friday that the virus’ progression is slowing thanks to local mask mandates and residents practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
The percentage of COVID-19 tests that turn up positive each day — an indicator of the coronavirus’ spread — has recently lowered from around 20% daily to about 18% on average.
On Monday, 12% of tests reported were positive, about 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, and the World Health Organization suggests that the percent of positive tests should be below 5% before countries consider reopening.
In all, 849,117 tests have been completed since March.
Why did case numbers skyrocket this summer?
DHEC officials say case counts surged because more people left their homes as businesses reopen. Fewer people practiced social distancing and wore masks, they said.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has gradually reopened businesses since April 20, including restaurants, retailers, beaches, gyms and salons. In late July, he issued an order reopening 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 County where masks are now required. DHEC applauded those officials Friday.
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 17 confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported Monday dated as far back as August 2.
Regardless, the state has seen an increase in deaths starting in late June. Changes in the number of deaths tend to lag behind changes in the number of cases, according to DHEC. So, if cases begin to decrease, it will be a few weeks before deaths follow suit.
On its deadliest day, around July 20, the coronavirus took the lives of 54 South Carolinians.
This story was originally published August 10, 2020 at 2:23 PM with the headline "SC surpasses 100,000 cases of COVID-19, DHEC reports lowest case count since June."
