Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Dec. 29
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
SC reports nearly 2,000 COVID-19 cases over Christmas
At least 763,703 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and 12,633 have died in South Carolina since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Wednesday, Dec. 29, reported 1,950 new COVID-19 cases and five coronavirus-related deaths. There were also 1,441 probable cases and two probable deaths.
Roughly 28% of COVID-19 strains identified in South Carolina during the week of Dec. 12 were the omicron variant while 71% were the delta variant, according to the latest DHEC data.
At least 820 people in the state were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Dec. 29, including 188 patients being treated in intensive care units and 85 on ventilators. Roughly 9% of hospitalizations across the state are coronavirus-related, data shows.
As of Dec. 29, nearly 24% of COVID-19 tests were reported positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said 5% or lower means there is a low level of community spread.
Roughly 52% percent of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated, and 60% have received at least one dose.
The updates above reflect data reported from Wednesday, Dec. 22 – Monday, Dec. 27.
COVID-related hospitalizations spike in SC as omicron spreads
South Carolina’s largest hospital systems are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 patients on the heels of the holiday break, and health officials say they’re bracing for another surge after New Year’s.
Prisma Health, the Medical University of South Carolina and the Lexington Medical Center all saw an increase in coronavirus patients this week as the omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread in the Palmetto State, according to The State.
To maintain staffing levels, officials at Prisma Health said the hospital will implement the CDC’s newly shortened quarantine guidance, allowing employees infected with COVID-19 to return to work after five days of isolation.
“With this change, strict masking protocols must again be followed whether you’re vaccinated or not,” Dr. Helmut Albrecht, medical director of the Center of Infectious Diseases Research and Policy for Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina, said at a Dec. 29 news conference.
The hospital will also curtail some of its services to prioritize treating coronavirus patients.
Read the full story here.
This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 2:35 PM.