Days before Thanksgiving, SC’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising rapidly
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in South Carolina hit a 30-day high Monday.
The 844 patients hospitalized with coronavirus-related symptoms the Monday before Thanksgiving make up more than 10% of all inpatients statewide, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The spike in hospitalizations comes as DHEC reported 1,095 more confirmed coronavirus cases and five additional deaths Monday, the seventh straight day positive tests have exceeded 1,000.
The total number of confirmed cases statewide is 194,902 since testing began in March and the total number of confirmed deaths is 3,987.
Monday’s data is based on 10,217 tests, of which 10.7% came back positive, DHEC said.
The number of COVID-19 tests performed has risen considerably over the past week, with tests Monday up more than 50% from last Monday. South Carolina has tested an average of more than 10,000 people daily over the past four days, compared to under 8,000 for the four days prior, a 37% increase.
Some popular testing sites have processed more than 100 people per hour in the past couple weeks, according to DHEC, which said it was continuing to ramp up testing opportunities and testing capacity in response to the holiday demand.
In a statement Monday, the agency encouraged residents to practice social distancing, wear masks and avoid congregating indoors.
“We are encouraged to see that South Carolinians are once again stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing as we continue our fight against COVID-19,” said DHEC’s interim public health director Dr. Brannon Traxler. “While routine testing is key to knowing your individual health status, a negative test result doesn’t mean you can stop wearing a mask or social distancing. Face coverings and avoiding indoor group gatherings remain as important as ever.”
As more South Carolinians have been tested, the rate of positive tests has decreased, but remains well above the 5% rate that many public health agencies aim for.
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.
DHEC urges anyone who is symptomatic or who has been exposed to someone with 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?
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Upstate continues to outpace other South Carolina regions, though the number of cases also has been trending down over the past week.
Greenville County reported the most new positive tests in the state Monday with 187, followed by Spartanburg, which was fourth overall in the state, with 84 cases.
Other counties that reported 75 or more cases Monday were Richland (104); York (86) and Charleston (75). Lexington County logged 49 coronavirus cases Monday, right around the number it’s reported daily for the past week. Richland County has had a total of 19,796 COVID-19 cases since March, while 10,927 positive tests have been reported in Lexington County.
Of the five deaths confirmed Monday, three were elderly individuals (65 and older) and two were middle-aged (35-64).
Two of the deaths were reported in Aiken County, while one each was reported in Charleston, Richland and York counties.
Overall, 277 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in Richland County and 220 have been reported in Lexington County.
Are all cases accounted for?
Across the country, health experts said official case counts have likely under-counted the number of cases to large degrees.
At one point, S.C. 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 16 new probable COVID-19 cases in the state, and no new probable deaths. That puts the total number of probable cases at 12,650 and total probable deaths at 301.
How are hospitals being impacted?
The number of patients hospitalized with coronavirus-related symptoms has jumped in recent days.
At least 800 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 every day in the last week, including 844 — a 30-day high — on Monday, according to DHEC. By comparison, COVID-19 hospitalizations hit 800 only three times between Oct. 24 and Nov. 16, and have averaged 774 over the past 30 days.
The number of state inpatients hospitalized with COVID-19 at one time peaked at 1,723 on July 23.
With the recent spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations, more than 10% of all inpatients statewide are now being treated for the novel coronavirus, DHEC reported.
Just over one-quarter of COVID-19 patients, or 216, are in intensive care units, and another 92 are on ventilators.
Despite the rise in COVID-19 patients, hospital bed occupancy and ICU bed occupancy were actually at their lowest levels in a week on Monday, with nearly 75% of the state’s hospital beds and more than 72% of its ICU beds occupied.
In Richland County, 70.3% of hospital beds are occupied Monday, and in Lexington County, 84.3% of beds are full, data shows.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
Several key COVID-19 metrics the state tracks to measure spread remain below the highs hit in July, but are trending up, health officials warn.
Indicators such as daily case rates by population, percentage of positive tests and hospitalizations all have risen since mid-October.
The rate of testing, which had been well down from its mid-summer highs, has ticked up in the past couple weeks.
Overall, 2,545,046 tests have been conducted in South Carolina.
This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Days before Thanksgiving, SC’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising rapidly."