SC sees record 2,025 COVID-19 hospitalizations, more than 3,000 new cases
South Carolina continued its streak of recording high COVID-19 statistics Thursday after state health officials reported 3,234 new cases and record hospitalizations.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials also documented 39 deaths of residents who tested positive for the virus, bringing the state’s cumulative death toll to 4,885.
Since March, 283,424 South Carolinians have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Of the 10,369 South Carolinians tested, Thursday DHEC officials noted 31.2% of tests came back positive.
That figure indicates the level of virus spread in a community. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization advised governments not to lift restrictions until the percent positive rates were at or below 5% for at least two weeks.
On Thursday, DHEC also reported 150 new probable COVID-19 cases and eight new probable deaths, bringing the total number of probable cases to 24,083 and probable deaths to 411.
DHEC defines a probable case as someone who has had a positive antigen test or has virus symptoms and is at high risk of infection. Probable deaths are those where the death certificate lists COVID-19 as the cause of or a contributing factor to death, but the person was not tested for the virus.
South Carolina continues to report record-high hospitalization figures.
On Thursday, health officials reported 2,025 patients in hospitals have or are suspected of having the virus, making up nearly 22% of hospital patients statewide.
COVID-19 vaccine distribution remains in its nascent stages in South Carolina.
DHEC officials reported Tuesday they had received a total of 112,125 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 84,500 total doses of the Moderna vaccine. Of the Pfizer doses, 39,100 have been administered to the first phase of individuals, which includes health care workers, health care officials reported Thursday.
DHEC officials faced criticism from state lawmakers this week over the state’s vaccine distribution plan. In a statement Wednesday, the department said its rate of vaccination distribution — 31% — is much higher than the national average of 19%.
Health officials have advised South Carolinians to continue taking measures to slow the spread of the virus, such as wearing masks, avoiding group gatherings and practicing social distancing.
DHEC urges anyone who is symptomatic or who has been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested and recommends routine monthly testing for anyone who is out in the community, even if they show no symptoms.
To find a testing location near you, visit DHEC’s website at scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-testing-locations.
How are hospitals being impacted?
More than 2,000 South Carolinians remain hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday..
Of those hospitalized with the virus Thursday, 400 patients were in intensive care units and 199 were on ventilators.
Total hospital bed occupancy and ICU bed occupancy has remained at nearly 80% since early December.
Nearly 75.7% of hospital beds in Richland County were occupied Thursday, and nearly 90.7% of Lexington County’s beds were taken, data show.
Which counties were affected?
The Upstate continued to lead the state in new cases.
Greenville County alone reported 462 new COVID-19 cases Thursday. Anderson County reported 161, Spartanburg County reported 122 and York County reported 253.
Other parts of the state were not spared from the uptick in cases, though.
Along the coast, Beaufort County saw 134 new cases, Berkeley County saw 119, Charleston County saw 235, Dorchester County saw 130 and Horry County saw 167.
In the Midlands, Lexington County reported an increase of 237 cases, and Richland County saw 253.
Of the deaths reported Thursday, all but four were elderly, or over the age of 64.
The following counties reported deaths Thursday: Abbeville (1), Anderson (1), Bamberg (1), Beaufort (1), Berkeley (1), Charleston (1), Cherokee (2), Colleton (1), Darlington (3), Dorchester (1), Florence (2), Greenville (1), Horry (2), Lancaster (1), Lee (1), Oconee (1), Pickens (7), Richland (1), Spartanburg (4), Sumter (2), Union (2) and York (2).
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
Although the majority of South Carolinians do recover from COVID-19 after their diagnosis, the state’s daily case rates are still up almost 96% in the past month and are the highest they’ve ever been.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have topped 1,000 statewide for the past four weeks, according to DHEC.
And the number of people being tested across the state has shot up over the past 30 days, with an average of 222 tests per 100,000 individuals performed daily in the last month, a 40% increase from the month prior, data show.
An average of about 22% of those tests have come back positive in the past 30 days.
Overall, more than 3.6 million tests have been conducted in South Carolina.
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 1:16 PM.
