South Carolina reports 11 COVID-19 deaths, including young adult in Newberry County
South Carolina on Tuesday reported more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases and 11 confirmed deaths from the virus.
The deaths, which included a young adult in the age range of 18 to 34 in Newberry County who died Saturday, bring the state’s toll from the disease to 3,884.
With the 1,088 positive tests reported Tuesday by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, total COVID-19 cases statewide are now up to 186,528 since testing began in March.
Nearly 14% of the 7,894 tests included in Tuesday’s data were positive, according to DHEC. Health officials have said the number should be closer to 5%.
The agency urges anyone who is symptomatic or has been around someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 to get tested themselves, and recommends routine monthly testing for anyone who is out and about in the community, even if they are asymptomatic.
To find a testing location near you, visit DHEC’s website at scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-testing-locations.
DHEC’s recommendation for when to get tested and where to find a DHEC testing site.
Which counties were affected?
Northern counties continue to see high numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Greenville County had the most new coronavirus cases on Tuesday with 167, followed by York, which saw its cases more than double from 56 Monday to 118 on Tuesday, according to DHEC.
Horry County, in the Grand Strand region, reported the third most positive tests Tuesday with 85.
In the Midlands, Richland County had 76 new cases on Tuesday, and Lexington County had 55, health officials reported.
That brings the number of confirmed cases in Richland County to 19,062, while 10,492 positive tests have been reported in Lexington County.
Of the deaths confirmed Tuesday, seven were elderly individuals (65 and older), three were middle-aged (35-64) and one was a young adult (18-34), according to DHEC. Two deaths were reported in Richland County and one death each was reported in Aiken, Chesterfield, Florence, Lexington, Marlboro, Newberry, Oconee, Sumter and York counties.
Overall, 270 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in Richland County, while the death toll in Lexington County is 215, according to DHEC.
Are all cases accounted for?
Across the country, health experts have said official case counts have likely under-counted the number of cases to large degrees. At one point, South Carolina officials estimated that 86% of those infected never got tested or diagnosed, but they no longer provide those estimates.
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 Tuesday, DHEC reported 58 new probable COVID-19 cases in the state, and three new probable deaths. That puts the total number of probable cases at 11,372 and total probable deaths at 272.
How are hospitals being impacted?
On Tuesday, DHEC reported that 800 patients were hospitalized with coronavirus-related symptoms, or 9.4% of all patients currently in the hospital. The number of hospitalizations was up from the 769 reported Monday. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at one time in the state peaked at 1,723 on July 23.
Among those hospitalized with COVID-19, 224 patients are in intensive care, and 126 are on ventilators.
Of the 11,078 hospital beds available in South Carolina, 8,480 are currently occupied, or 76.6%, health officials said. There are currently 1,255 of 1,692 ICU beds occupied, or 74.2%, according to DHEC.
In Richland County, 785 hospital beds are occupied (72.6%), and 296 are available, while 426 of 499 hospital beds (85.4%) in Lexington County are occupied, data shows.
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?
South Carolina health officials have warned of increases in key COVID-19 metrics, especially in the Upstate.
Indicators such as daily case rates by population, percentage of positive tests and hospitalizations have all risen since the start of September. And while they have not reached July’s peaks, they’re still at a rate that indicates continued disease spread.
The rate of testing, meanwhile, has declined from the highs reported in mid-summer, when DHEC was recording more than 10,000 tests per day, and plateaued throughout the fall. The rate of testing has inched upwards recently, however. Overall, 2,371,056 tests have been conducted in South Carolina.
This story was originally published November 17, 2020 at 2:24 PM.