DHEC: Richland Co. continues to have most new COVID-19 cases in latest statewide count
State health officials reported 918 new cases of the coronavirus in South Carolina on Saturday, almost 15% of which were in Richland County.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control also announced 32 new confirmed deaths related to the virus. Since the global pandemic first reached South Carolina in March, DHEC has recorded 122,313 confirmed cases and 2,738 deaths related to the virus.
DHEC reported Saturday’s case count came out of 7,249 individual test results. About 13% of tests came back positive, one of the lowest positive rates in weeks. 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.
The state’s weekly percent of positive tests, as Saturday, is 18.1%.
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.
Which counties were affected?
Richland County continues to have the most new cases as college students return to the University of South Carolina and other campuses. Richland led the state with a record 134 new cases Saturday.
Neighboring Lexington County had 61 new confirmed cases.
Spartanburg continues to have a higher than usual amount of new cases since Friday. On Saturday the county had 92 new cases.
Residents from the following counties died after contracting the virus: Abbeville (1), Anderson (2), Bamber (1), Charleston (2), Chester (1), Dorchester (2), Florence (2), Greenville (1), Greenwood (2), Lexington (2), Orangeburg (1), Richland (6), Saluda (1), Spartanburg (5), York (3).
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 after, totals slowly dropped, including a stretch of 13 days in a row under 1,000 towards the end of August.
Daily case increases throughout August never topped 1,400. But Friday had more than 1,500 cases, a significant jump that pushed the Palmetto State’s seven-day rolling average back above 1,000. Saturday’s results brought that average slightly down.
Ahead of the Labor Day weekend, however, health experts have warned of a possible spike in cases as residents take vacations to crowded beaches and students return to schools.
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 overall 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 that come back positive.
Saturday, 12.7% tests were positive.
Nationally, about 9.1% of tests turn up positive, according to the CDC.
In all, 1,058,938 tests have been completed in South Carolina since March.
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 result 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 Saturday, state health officials reported 16 new probable cases and no new probable deaths. That brings the total number of probable cases up to 1,976 and total probable deaths to 139.
How are hospitals being impacted?
As of Saturday, the state reported 845 patients in South Carolina hospitals have coronavirus, including 213 patients in intensive care and 128 patients on ventilators.
In all, 80.41% of in-patient beds are occupied in S.C. hospitals.
This story was originally published September 5, 2020 at 12:57 PM.