SC reports more than 200 COVID-19 deaths Thursday, twice previous single-day record
South Carolina health officials Thursday announced more than 200 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, easily the highest single-day death toll the state has ever reported.
The 226 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, which include the state’s fourth pediatric death, is more than twice the previous record of 93 deaths, reported Jan. 15. It brings the total number of deaths reported over the past two days to more than 300.
The agency said the deaths reported Thursday include people who had died over the last several weeks but weren’t previously reported due to issues with a recent computer system upgrade that had affected the ability of coroners to report deaths. The issue is now fully resolved, DHEC said.
In addition to the massive death toll, DHEC also Thursday reported 2,934 new confirmed cases.
Nearly 32% of the 9,226 COVID-19 tests reported Thursday came back positive, representing a large increase from the day before. DHEC had not reported a percent positive rate that high in nearly three weeks.
COVID-19 hospitalizations, which reached record highs multiple times in the past few weeks, remain elevated at 2,086 Thursday, but continue to decline from their peak of 2,466 on Jan. 13. Coronavirus patients take up nearly 22% of all occupied hospital beds, data show.
Since last March, the state has reported 387,603 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 6,235 confirmed virus deaths.
South Carolina counts an additional 43,566 cases, including 145 Thursday, as probable positives, and another 668 deaths, including 28 Thursday, as probable COVID-19 deaths.
DHEC defines a probable case as someone who has had a positive antigen test or has virus symptoms and is at high risk for infection. Probable deaths are ones 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.
Vaccines distributed
As of Thursday, South Carolina had received 341,250 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine and 327,200 doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
The agency reported Thursday that 203,461 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 75,729 first doses of the Moderna vaccine had been administered so far. Another 48,193 second doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 1,418 second doses of the Moderna vaccine also have been administered.
Health care workers, long-term care facility residents and staff, hospital inpatients over 65 and all people age 70 and older are currently eligible to receive the vaccine.
More than 341,000 such people have schedule appointments to receive a shot, DHEC said.
Anyone eligible to receive a vaccine who would like to get one can use DHEC’s locator tool to find a provider with availability near you at www.scdhec.gov/vaxlocator.
State health officials advise South Carolinians to continue taking measures to mitigate spread of COVID-19.
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 asymptomatic.
To find a testing location near you, visit DHEC’s website at scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-testing-locations.