SC announces another big COVID-19 case number day after 1,200 case spike
New COVID-19 cases in South Carolina dropped on Monday, but remain high after a big spike in cases the day before.
South Carolina announced 755 new coronavirus cases on Monday, and 20 new deaths from COVID-19-related causes.
The new numbers put the state’s total at 163,946 since the first cases were reported in March. The state’s death toll is now 3,587 people.
On Sunday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced more than 1,200 new coronavirus cases, the largest one-day jump in new cases in almost two months. The latest numbers show a spike of 2,036 new cases across the state in two days of reporting.
As of Sunday, DHEC has conducted 1,909,419 COVID-19 in the state since March. Of the 6,158 tests performed Sunday, 12.3% came back positive.
The average rate of positive tests has declined from the state’s high points in July, when it consistently topped 20%, but it is still well above the 5% mark that health experts, including DHEC state epidemiologist Linda Bell, have cited as a goal.
Officials are now recommending anyone who is “out and about” in the community or not able to wear a facial covering and practice social distancing be tested at least once a month, in order to track and curb the spread of asymptomatic cases.
Which counties were affected?
New cases continue to be concentrated in the Upstate. Greenville County led South Carolina with a three-digit increase on Monday, with 139 new cases. Neighboring Spartanburg County reported 68 new cases, Pickens County had 57 and Anderson County had 54.
In the Midlands, Richland County had 43 new or suspected cases, while Lexington County had 36.
Richland County did, however, lead the state in new deaths, with four confirmed coronavirus fatalities, two elderly and two between the ages of 35 and 64. There were three confirmed deaths in Horry County, and two each in Lexington and Spartanburg. Other counties reporting deaths are Anderson, Charleston, Darlington, Fairfield, Florence, Greenwood, Marlboro, Newberry, and York.
The overall total of COVID-19 deaths reported in Richland County is 252, while 201 people have died in Lexington County, DHEC data shows.
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimated in the past that around 86% of South Carolinians who contract the virus didn’t get tested, and global experts have said official case counts have likely under-counted the number of cases.
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 Monday, DHEC announced 12 new probable COVID-19 cases and two probable deaths.
How are hospitals being impacted?
As of Monday, 9% of all hospital patients in South Carolina are suffering from COVID-19, or 737 patients. Of those, 27% of COVID-19 patients are currently in intensive care units, and 12% are on ventilators.
In total, 7,913 patients are currently hospitalized in South Carolina, filling 78% of all hospital beds. In ICUs, 76% of hospital beds are in use, and 25% of the state’s ventilators are currently in use.
Health officials said COVID-19 can cause mild to severe illness. Older adults and people who have serious underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and/or chronic lung diseases, are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, according to DHEC.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
On Friday, DHEC launched a new dashboard aimed at giving residents a quick look at how seven sets of data related to the pandemic are trending in South Carolina:
- Rate of cases per 100,000
- Rate of tests per 100,000
- Percentage of positive tests
- Deaths by date
- Hospitalizations
- ICU hospitalizations
- COVID-19 patients
The number of daily new cases reported in South Carolina hit a high in July. The rate of testing, meanwhile, has plateaued over the past month or more, as DHEC went from reporting more than 10,000 tests per day regularly in the middle of summer to never hitting that standard throughout September and October.
Officials have said there has not been a reduction in testing capacity, but demand has slowed as “testing fatigue” sets in.
The number of deaths by date has declined slightly, though there is often a delay in reporting as officials determine whether it should be classified as a COVID-19 related death.
Meanwhile, the number of hospitalizations has stayed relatively steady in the past month, with the rate of ICU hospitalizations increasing slightly and the number of patients on ventilators decreasing.
This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 2:10 PM.
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