SC records more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases as testing reaches two-week high
South Carolina health officials reported 1,084 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 119,822 since the global coronavirus pandemic reached the state in March.
Thursday’s total marks just the second day in the past two two weeks that the Palmetto State has recorded more than 1,000 new cases in a day, but the Department of Health and Environmental Control reported its highest number of daily tests in that time frame as well. DHEC also reported 12 new deaths Thursday, putting the state’s death toll at 2,667.
With 6,560 individual test results Thursday, the percentage of positive tests was 16.5%, a decline from recent days but still at a level that would indicate high levels of virus activity, experts have said.
South Carolina’s percentage positive for the calendar week so far is above 18% for the first time in a month. That number is slightly below what health officials reported in June and July, when the state saw its largest spike in COVID-19 cases but also regularly reported more than 10,000 tests per day.
The World Health Organization suggests 5% should be the standard before countries consider reopening, and DHEC state epidemiologist Linda Bell has cited the same percentage as a goal.
Which counties were affected?
Greenville County led the state Thursday with 113 new cases. The most populous county in the state has the second most total cases in the state, with more than 12,000.
In the Midlands, Richland County has seen an uptick in cases recently, coinciding with the return of thousands of college students to the University of South Carolina and other campuses. It added 112 new cases Wednesday, second most in the state.
Neighboring Lexington County saw 49 new confirmed cases.
Residents from the following counties died after contracting the virus: Aiken (2), Anderson (1), Bamberg (1), Chesterfield (1), Dorchester (1), Florence (1), Greenville (1), Horry (1), Lancaster (1), Lexington (1) and Orangeburg (1). All 12 deaths were among elderly or middle-aged individuals.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
The number of daily new cases reported in South Carolina hit a high of 2,343 on July 18. In the month since, totals have slowly dropped, including a stretch of 13 days in a row under 1,000.
State health officials have said that the virus’ progression has been slowing significantly in areas with face mask requirements and where residents are practicing social distancing.
However, the drop in case numbers can also be attributed in part to labs performing fewer tests, DHEC officials have said. In order to account for that possibility, officials have highlighted the importance of percentage of tests run that come back positive.
In May, at its lowest point, the percentage of positive tests fell between 2% and 4% on average, while it peaked in July at consistently upwards of 20%.
The percentage of COVID-19 tests with positive results has declined from its high in mid-July, but the weekly average is still well above the 5% standard DHEC has said it would like to see.
Nationally, about 9.1% of tests turn up positive, according to the CDC.
In all, 1,033,762 tests have been completed in South Carolina since March, including 967,551 viral tests and 63,761 antibody tests, which can tell if an individual has been exposed to the virus but cannot confirm an active infection.
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimate that around 86% of South Carolinians who contract the virus don’t get tested.
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 29 new probable cases and one new probable death. That brings the total number of probable cases up to 1,874 and total probable deaths to 140.
DHEC officials have said the slow down in testing over the past several weeks could mean that more people with the coronavirus have gone untested and undiagnosed.
How are hospitals being impacted?
As of Tuesday, the state reported 911 patients in South Carolina hospitals have coronavirus, including 235 patients in intensive care and 145 patients on ventilators.
In all, 83.13% of in-patient beds are occupied in S.C. hospitals, including 76.93% 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 daily numbers have declined since, dropping below 1,000 around a week ago and staying there.
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 2:25 PM.
