SC could be seeing fall coronavirus surge, state health officials warn
South Carolina health officials warned Thursday the state may be entering another coronavirus surge.
According to a statement from the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the number of COVID-19 cases identified in the Upstate are rising at a steady rate.
That increase in cases mirrors, or in some cases goes beyond, spikes seen in the past, according to DHEC’s statement.
“The increases in case counts, hospitalizations and deaths across the nation is extremely concerning, and we must double down on our efforts in order to prevent a second wave in South Carolina,” DHEC interim Director of Public Health Brannon Traxler said in a statement.
“We understand that ‘COVID-19 fatigue’ is occurring and we’re all wishing for a return to normalcy. But think of our first responders, doctors and nurses, law enforcement officers and essential workers who, although exhausted, keep working to keep us safe. We can’t give up.”
According to DHEC data, the seven-day average number of cases in the Upstate began increasing around Oct. 7. That figured jumped from around an average of 74 cases per day to about 117 cases per day.
In Greenville County, the number of cases recorded daily began increasing the same day. On Oct. 7, DHEC officials reported 100 confirmed cases in the county. Since, cases have reached as high as 188 in one day. Spartanburg County saw a similar increase starting Oct. 2, with 31 cases being confirmed that day, and since, reaching as high as 144 recently, according to DHEC.
In contrast, the Midlands region of the state has seen a smaller increase. On Oct. 13, the Midlands saw a seven day rolling average of 60, and by Wednesday, the average was 76.
In Richland County, officials saw 46 new confirmed cases on Oct. 13, and since, daily cases have reached as high as 110. Columbia leaders increased the fine for not wearing a mask Thursday, hoping to curb the virus’ spread.
Lexington County, daily cases have grown from 48 reported on Oct. 13 to as high as 93 since.
As of Wednesday, DHEC officials had identified a total of 171,642 cases of COVID-19 since March. More than 3,700 people have died across the state after contracting the virus.
While South Carolina saw a dip in cases through late August and September, in October, the state started to see days with significantly increased numbers of cases. The state kicked off November by reporting more than 1,300 newly identified COVID-19 cases.
DHEC experts contributed the increase in cases to “coronavirus fatigue,” which is when people relax the precautions they are taking against the virus after spending long periods of time adhering to them.
“I know the people are tired of wearing masks, tired of social distancing,” Assistant State Epidemiologist Jane Kelly said. “Many are frustrated with restricting their activity, but it’s so important. People are underestimating this disease.”
The cooler weather is also pushing people indoors, where they are in closer contact, Kelly said.
The uptick in South Carolina is similar to the trend health experts are seeing nationwide. Wednesday, the United States reported more than 100,000 newly identified coronavirus cases, marking the largest ever single-day increase in cases.
State health officials called on South Carolina’s residents to take steps to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, including wearing a mask, social distancing and frequently washing their hands.
DHEC has also recommended that active members of the community who often leave their homes should get tested at least once a month, even if they don’t have any COVID-19 symptoms. If someone is going on a trip for the holidays, they should get a test before they leave and immediately upon returning, Kelly said.
DHEC also recommended that anyone older than six months get a flu vaccine this year. The flu and coronavirus share many symptoms and can be hard to distinguish from one another at first glance. Additionally, health experts believe that catching both viruses at the same time could cause complications.
“No one should lose sight of the power we each hold to help decrease deaths and illnesses from COVID-19 for all of us. We truly have an opportunity to take much better control of the spread of this virus,” State Epidemiologist Linda Bell said in a statement. “Wearing a mask in public and practicing physical distancing, consistently, would change the trajectory of our cases in South Carolina in a positive way, and it is my hope this happens very soon.”
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 12:31 PM.
