SC has one of its worst weeks for COVID cases, deaths since virus hit, DHEC data show
With more than 36,000 new cases and hundreds of deaths, South Carolina had one of its worst seven-day stretches for COVID-19 since the coronavirus was first discovered in the state in March 2020.
From Aug. 28 through Sept. 3, South Carolina had 36,828 new cases of COVID-19, an average of almost 5,261 cases a day, and 328 deaths, the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control reported. That ranks among the highest number of new cases and deaths in one week since January when the virus was going through an aggressive resurgence.
South Carolina had more recent cases per capita than any other state as of Tuesday, The New York Times reported.
Hundreds more were hospitalized with the virus. As of Tuesday, the last day of reporting, 2,414 people were in the hospital with COVID, DHEC reported. Only four days in January top that many hospitalizations, with the worst day having 2,466 people hospitalized, according to records by The State from DHEC data.
Like the previous two months, the percent of positive tests from Aug. 28 through Sept. 3 was well above the average that would indicate slowing spread of the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An average of about 14% of test came back positive. The CDC say that anything above 5% means the virus is spreading.
More people appear to be getting vaccinated. About 2.07 million, or a little more than 48%, of the state’s eligible residents are vaccinated, DHEC reported. About 50,000 people were vaccinated this week, which is more than double the approximate 20,000 people that had been completing the vaccination process each week for most of June and July.
In South Carolina, at least 752,378 people have tested positive for COVID and 10,781 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 September 4, 2021 at 10:00 AM.