DHEC reports nearly 900 new coronavirus cases in SC, along with 42 deaths
For the fifth day in a row, South Carolina recorded fewer than 1,000 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. But the percentage of tests coming back positive remains higher than experts say is needed to contain the spread of the virus.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control added 896 new confirmed cases to the state’s total Thursday, along with 42 more deaths. With 5,877 tests conducted, the percentage of positive tests was 15.2% — well above the 5% the World Health Organization suggests should be the standard before countries consider reopening.
Since the global pandemic first reached South Carolina in March, there have been 108,146 recorded cases in the Palmetto State, along with 2,289 deaths related to the virus.
Which counties were affected?
Richland County saw the largest increase in cases Thursday, adding 133 to its total. Richland was the only county in the state to report more than 100 new cases, and it was the county’s highest total of new cases since Aug. 4
Elsewhere in the Midlands, Lexington County logged 32 new cases. Lexington County has been one of the few counties in the state to see a decreasing rate of virus activity, according to the most recent DHEC data.
Residents of the following counties died after contracting the virus: Aiken (1), Anderson (2), Barnwell (1), Beaufort (1), Calhoun (1), Clarendon (1), Darlington (2), Dorchester (2), Florence (2), Georgetown (1), Greenville (3), Greenwood (2), Hampton (1), Horry (3), Lexington (6), Marion (2), Orangeburg (4), Richland (1), Saluda (1), Spartanburg (3) and Sumter (2).
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimate that around 86% of South Carolinians who contract the virus don’t get tested. As of Thursday, they estimated that 746,266 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 a 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 Thursday, state health officials reported 26 new probable cases and one new probable death. That brings the total number of probable cases up to 1,174 and total probable deaths to 112.
DHEC officials have also said the recent slow down in testing could mean that more people with the coronavirus have gone untested and undiagnosed.
How are hospitals being impacted?
As of Thursday, the state reported that 1,108 patients in South Carolina hospitals have coronavirus, including 272 patients in intensive care and 170 patients on ventilators.
In all, 81.6% of in-patient beds are occupied in S.C. hospitals, including 76.4% of beds in intensive care units.
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 as DHEC transitioned its reporting system from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Department of Health and Human Services, as requested by the federal government. The agency said the new system will give more precise information about COVID-19-related hospital conditions.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
The number of daily new cases reported in South Carolina hit a high of 2,340 on July 18. In the month since, totals have steadily dropped. Two weeks ago, case counts ranged from just above 1,000 to more than 1,300. This week, the number of new cases has yet to crack 900, although health officials warn that may be because of lower rates of testing.
On Thursday, 15.2% of tests reported turned up positive, which officials have said is high. But it does show a decline from July, when the percentage hovered around 20%.
“We’re cautiously optimistic about the current downward trend,” DHEC’s Dr. Brannon Traxler told The State earlier this week. “We need to also see the percent positive decrease to lower than it is.”
Nationally, about 8.7% of tests turn up positive, according to the CDC. The World Health Organization suggests that the percent of positive tests should be below 5% before countries consider reopening.
In all, 955,834 tests have been completed in South Carolina since March, including 891,626 viral tests and 61,932 antibody tests, which do not test for an active infection but can tell a person whether they’ve been exposed to the virus before.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 4:39 PM.
