SC hospitalizations rise more than 150% in two weeks as COVID cases mount, DHEC reports
South Carolina had its worst week for the spread of coronavirus and its fallout in months during the week of Aug. 16.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported more new cases, more deaths and more hospitalizations from the previous weeks, reaching levels last seen in the early part of the year.
DHEC reported 17,273 new cases of COVID with 126 deaths. That’s almost double the deaths from the previous week when 67 people died.
At least 1,942 people were hospitalized from the virus as of Tuesday, the latest day of hospital data, according to DHEC. That’s a 166% increased since two week ago.
The percentage of positive coronavirus tests is triple what federal health officials say it should be at. About 15% of tests came back positive, DHEC said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say a positive rate consistently below 5% means the virus spread is slowing in a community.
The mounting effects of the virus are driven by the delta variant and people’s refusal to get vaccinated, DHEC has said. The agency has urged people to get vaccinated and warned that the virus could get worse if it is allowed to continue spreading.
Known delta variant cases also increased week to week, from 382 to 488. While diagnosing a person with coronavirus is quick, figuring out if the virus is the delta variant takes time. DHEC suspects that most new cases in the state are the delta variant.
About 35,000 more people were vaccinated as of Wednesday, which is an increase from the approximate 20,000 people that have been completing the vaccine in past weeks.
At least 681,659 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina and 10,213 have died since March 2020, according to DHEC.
To learn how to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, visit The State’s website.