Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Nov. 26
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
COVID-19 hospitalizations jump 22%
At least 197,652 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina and 4,015 have died, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Wednesday reported 1,243 new COVID-19 cases, down from 1,374 reported the day before.
Four coronavirus-related deaths were reported Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, 940 people were hospitalized in South Carolina with COVID-19 — a 22% jump since the beginning of last week.
The percentage of positive tests was 13.8% as of Wednesday. Health officials have said the number should be closer to 5% to slow spread of the virus.
Gamecocks cancel exhibition over testing delays
The South Carolina men’s basketball team canceled its season-opening exhibition game against Coker on Wednesday, citing a delay in COVID-19 testing results at Coker.
The game was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena, The State reported.
McMaster rolls out rapid testing in schools
Gov. Henry McMaster signed an executive order Wednesday allowing state health officials to provide public schools with rapid antigen tests supplied by the federal government.
The order has left school districts scrambling to ready a plan, The State reported.
McMaster has repeatedly said schools should return to full-time in-person instruction, but officials were caught off guard when he announced plans for the rapid testing last week.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control anticipates the initial test kits from Abbott BinaxNow will cover about 10% of districts’ students and staff, agency spokeswoman Laura Renwick told The State. The test kits should reach school districts as early as next week.
More test kits will be provided monthly and will be allocated according to usage and district needs.
Schools are currently slated to receive about 220,000 of the 1.5 million kits. They can begin testing students once the state receives a federal waiver, but they’ve also been told to get their own waivers. Ryan Brown, spokesman for the S.C. Department of Education, said without individual waivers a violation by one school could jeopardize the testing program for all schools.
Brown said when testing starts will depend on each district’s ability to “quickly coordinate and administer a rapid testing program they hadn’t known was forthcoming,” The State reported.
“Districts were blindsided more or less by it, because they hadn’t received anything besides us telling them we were working towards it,” Brown said. “Ideally, they would have had the guidance and been prepared to review it and answer questions from their school communities prior to any type of public announcement.”
USC President Bob Caslen tests positive for COVID-19
University of South Carolina President Bob Caslen has tested positive for the coronavirus, The State reported. Caslen said it was confirmed Tuesday night.
The university president said he is continuing to work at home in isolation and is in good health.
Caslen said the test “should serve as a reinforcement that everyone needs to get tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis to protect themselves, as well as loved ones,” according to The State.
Most students, faculty and staff returning to USC for the spring semester will be required to get a coronavirus test.
