SC surpasses 1M COVID-19 cases, with new all-time highs in weekly and daily counts

South Carolina on Tuesday reported nearly 35,000 new coronavirus cases over the past four days, surpassing 1 million total cases and breaking records for new weekly and daily totals across the state.

The new weekly record of 50,653 cases tops the previous mark set exactly one year ago during the first week of January 2021 with 40,373 cases, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The numbers released Tuesday were the first COVID-19 totals reported since New Year’s Eve, when the state set a daily record with 8,882 new cases. That record, however, was broken the next day with 10,629 cases.



In the days prior to Thanksgiving, the state averaged fewer than 600 new cases per day, which included a low of 259 cases on Nov. 24, and no days over 1,000 cases. Since then, there has been an increase to more than 4,000 new cases per day.

There were 10,629 cases and five deaths reported for Saturday and 10,543 cases and 29 deaths on Sunday. Monday tallied 8,331 cases and two deaths, while Tuesday saw the lowest numbers with 5,491 cases and two deaths.

Of the 34,994 new cases reported over the four days, at least 8,867 were listed as “probable” rather than confirmed. That brings the state’s total COVID-19 case count to more than 1,011,000 since March 2020. The state health department says cases reported come from testing completed two days earlier.

The 38 new deaths reported by the agency bring the statewide death toll to 14,674. About 355 people have died of COVID-19 in South Carolina over the past month, the lowest monthly total since July.

The state conducted about 122,600 tests for the four days of data, with nearly 27% coming back positive.

There have been 532 deaths — 0.0214% of all cases — as of Dec. 17 from “breakthrough” cases, meaning an infected person is fully vaccinated with at least two doses. The majority of deaths — 59% — are people age 71 and up. About 61% of those who died had comorbid conditions. An estimated 0.9607% of all fully vaccinated people have been infected, while nearly 0.0642% of fully vaccinated people have been hospitalized.

Health officials recommend wearing a face mask and getting the coronavirus vaccine to help limit the spread of the virus.

South Carolina has one of the the country’s lowest rates of full vaccination status — people with two vaccine shots — among its eligible population, at an estimated 52%.

This story was originally published January 4, 2022 at 1:30 PM.

Andrew Caplan

The State

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Andrew Caplan is a watchdog journalist who hails from Florida. He comes to The State Media Company after winning several statewide awards for investigative work covering elected officials, as well as public and government entities. He holds a master’s degree from the University of South Florida.