SC again tops 1,000 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday
South Carolina health officials confirmed 1,053 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, and an additional seven people diagnosed with COVID-19 have died.
Every day but one this month has seen more than 1,000 new positive COVID-19 tests reported.
More than 202,000 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since March, and at least 4,050 have died.
About 12% of the 8,279 most recent test results statewide were positive, according to DHEC.
Percent positive rates provide an idea of how widespread coronavirus infection is, 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 were at 5% or lower for at least 14 days.
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 Upstate of South Carolina continues to see the fastest rise in new COVID-19 cases compared to other regions.
Greenville County reported the most new positive tests in the state Sunday with 174, followed by neighboring Spartanburg County (111) and York County (74).
In the Midlands, Richland County reported 77 new positive tests Sunday, with 54 positives in Lexington County.
Since March, Richland County has had a total of 20,347 confirmed COVID-19 cases and Lexington County has reported 11,357 positive tests, according to DHEC data.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
Indicators such as daily case rates by population, percentage of positive tests and hospitalizations all have risen since mid-October.
The rate of testing has increased steadily over the past month, with an average of 166 tests per 100,000 individuals being performed daily over the past 30 days, a 20% increase from the month prior.
Overall, more than 2.6 million tests have been conducted in South Carolina.
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 Sunday, DHEC reported eight new probable COVID-19 cases in the state and no new probable deaths. That puts the total number of probable cases at 13,707 and total probable deaths at 303 .
How are hospitals being impacted?
DHEC reported 879 people in South Carolina were hospitalized with the coronavirus Sunday, down from Wednesday’s 30-day high of 944.
COVID-19 patients made up 11.1% of all reported inpatients in South Carolina Sunday, according to DHEC.
Nearly 27% of COVID-19 patients, or 236 people, are in intensive care units, and more than 13%, or 117 patients, are on ventilators.
Despite the rise in COVID-19 patients, hospital bed occupancy and ICU bed occupancy remain below 75%, with 71% of the state’s hospital beds and 70% of its ICU beds occupied.
In Richland County, 65% of hospital beds are occupied Sunday, and in Lexington County, 79% of beds are full, data show.
This story was originally published November 29, 2020 at 11:32 AM.
