All major indicators show coronavirus slowing in SC, DHEC reports
New cases, deaths and hospitalizations from coronavirus are all down in South Carolina for the second straight week, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
South Carolina had 2,451 new cases of the coronavirus and 46 deaths reported May 16 to 22 by state health officials.
That’s an average of about 351 new cases reported a day from May 16 to 22.
That’s compared to an average of 452 reported a day with 3,162 cases and 57 deaths last week.
Community spread of COVID-19 was at the CDC’s low level with an average of 3.5% of tests reported positive this week, according to DHEC.
The CDC says a positive rate consistently below 5% means the virus spread is slowing in a community.
Almost 60,000 more people received a dose of the vaccine this week, according to DHEC data. With nearly 1.53 million people having completed inoculation as of Wednesday, more than a third of the state’s residents are fully vaccinated.
As of Saturday, 297 people were hospitalized in the state with coronavirus. That’s down from 340 last week.
At least 590,645 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina and 9,674 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 22, 2021 at 11:20 AM.