22 more COVID-19 deaths reported Wednesday as percent testing positive steadily rises
Another 22 South Carolinians have died from the coronavirus and another 1,226 have tested positive, the state’s health agency announced Wednesday, as the percentage of South Carolinians testing positive for COVID-19 climbed to rates not seen since mid-September.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said Wednesday that 17%, or 1,226 of the 7,233 tests reported for the day came back positive, bringing the moving 7-day positivity average to 15.4%.
The 7-day positivity average topped out at 21.2% in mid-July and hasn’t reached its current heights since the week of Sept. 9, according to DHEC.
Percent positive rates provide an idea of how widespread coronavirus infection is in a testing area, with higher numbers indicating there are likely more people infected with COVID-19 in the community who have not been tested and who may unwittingly spread the disease to others.
The World Health Organization earlier this year advised governments not to reopen until percent positive rates are at 5% or lower for at least 14 days.
In addition to high percent positive rates, Wednesday also marked the second day this week and third this month with more than 20 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths.
The 22 COVID-19 deaths reported Wednesday are more than any day this month besides Monday, when 27 deaths were reported, and bring the death toll in South Carolina to 3,906.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases since testing began in March is now up to 187,774.
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.
Which counties were affected?
Greenville County again reported the most new COVID-19 cases in the state on Wednesday with 214, followed by Richland with 106 positive tests reported, Charleston with 101 and York with 98, according to DHEC.
Cases in Richland have jumped rapidly this week, while cases in neighboring Lexington County, which reported 49 new cases Wednesday, have remained steady.
Richland County has reported 19,199 total confirmed cases since March while Lexington has had 10,583, according to DHEC.
Of the deaths confirmed Wednesday, 21 were elderly individuals (65 and older) and one was middle-aged (35-64), according to DHEC. Four of the deaths were reported in Spartanburg County; two each were reported in Aiken, Berkeley, Lexington and Richland counties; and a single death was reported in Anderson, Beaufort, Cherokee, Dorchester, Florence, Greenville, Horry, Orangeburg, Sumter and York counties.
Overall, 272 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in Richland County, while the death toll increased to 217 in Lexington County, 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 Monday, DHEC reported 94 new probable COVID-19 cases in the state, and four new probable deaths. That puts the total number of probable cases at 11,673 and total probable deaths at 276.
How are hospitals being impacted?
On Wednesday, DHEC reported that 830 patients were hospitalized with coronavirus-related symptoms, or 9.3% of all patients currently in the hospital. That’s up about 8% since Monday, when health officials reported that 769 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms.
The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at one time in the state peaked at 1,723 on July 23.
Some have more serious conditions than others; 219 COVID-19 patients are in intensive care— nine more than were on Monday — and 105 are on ventilators — three more than were on Monday, according to DHEC.
Of the 11,121 hospital beds available in South Carolina, 8,910 are currently occupied, or 80.1%, health officials said. There are currently 1,294 of 1,693 ICU beds occupied, or 76.4%, according to DHEC.
In Richland County, 828 hospital beds are occupied (75.8%), and 309 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 has not seen several of its key metrics hit the highs reached in July, but S.C. officials have warned that the state is seeing rises in key 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 are still at a rate that indicates continued disease spread.
The rate of testing, meanwhile, declined from the highs reported in the middle of the 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, 2,392,558 tests have been conducted in South Carolina.
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 2:43 PM.