Spread of COVID-19 in SC drops to low level after two weeks above, DHEC reports
After two weeks of elevated coronavirus spread, levels of the virus’s spread in South Carolina declined to “low” once again, according to data from the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control.
From April 25 to May 1, DHEC reported that 4.74% of COVID-19 tests came back positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say a positive rate consistently below 5% means the virus spread is slowing in a community.
DHEC reported 3,156 new cases of coronavirus in the same week, a decline from the previous two weeks. That’s an average of about 451 cases a day reported from Sunday to Saturday.
At least 80 people died of COVID-19 in that week.
South Carolina also had 1,840 new probable cases and 18 probable deaths reported for the week. A probable case is someone who has not received a lab test result but has virus symptoms or tested positive with what’s called an “antigen” 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.
Almost 200,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine were administered last week in South Carolina, DHEC reported. About 2.92 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the state.
South Carolina reached a milestone with about 1.72 million people having received a dose of the vaccine as of Saturday, or about a third of the population.
As of Saturday, 457 people were hospitalized in the state with coronavirus.
At least 482,310 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina and 8,367 have died since March 2020, according to DHEC.
To learn how to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, visit The State’s website.
This story was originally published May 1, 2021 at 11:34 AM.