Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Jan. 31
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
More than 4,600 new COVID-19 cases reported in SC
At least 1 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and at least 13,299 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Monday, Jan. 31, reported 4,681 new COVID-19 cases and 28 coronavirus-related deaths. There were also 1,035 probable cases and seven probable deaths.
The omicron variant accounted for 98% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina during the week ending Jan. 15, data shows.
At least 2,507 people in the state were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Jan. 31, including 437 patients being treated in intensive care units and 218 on ventilators. Data shows nearly 27% of hospitalizations in South Carolina are coronavirus-related.
As of Jan. 31, about 19% 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.
Just over 53% of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated, and about 62% have received at least one dose, health officials say.
How the omicron variant is impacting SC residents
The omicron coronavirus variant is driving a surge in new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and here in South Carolina.
Several residents from across the Palmetto State spoke with The Island Packet about how the highly infectious variant has impacted their lives.
“We had a lively Christmas gathering of 15, and two days later seven of us tested positive,” one Hilton Head resident told the newspaper. “For six of us the symptoms have been very mild. My son-in-law is unvaccinated and he has been very sick.”
Read the full story here.
This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 2:02 PM.
