Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Feb. 7
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
More than 2,300 new COVID-19 cases reported in SC
At least 1.1 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and at least 13,626 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, Feb. 7, reported 2,374 new COVID-19 cases and 52 coronavirus-related deaths. There were also 995 probable cases and 14 probable deaths.
The omicron variant accounted for 99.7% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina during the week of Jan. 22, state health data shows.
At least 2,043 people in the state were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Feb. 6, including 405 patients being treated in intensive care units and 226 on ventilators. Data shows over 22% of hospitalizations in South Carolina are coronavirus-related.
As of Feb. 7, roughly 14% 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.
Newly discovered flatworms get name from COVID-19 pandemic
One of two new types of hammerhead flatworms discovered by French scientists during the COVID-19 lockdowns has been dubbed “Humbertium covidum,” McClatchy News reported.
“We decided to name one of the species ‘covidum,’ paying homage to the victims of the pandemic,” Jean-Lou Justine of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, said in a news release.
Flatworms are small, invasive worms that feed on other worms, slugs and snails that live in the soil, according to The Washington Post. Some grow up to 1 meter in size, but the newly discovered Humbertium covidum can reach up to about 3 centimeters, McClatchy News reported, citing a scientific paper by Justine and his team.
The new species also differs in appearance from other flatworms; it’s black instead of colorful and bears no stripes.
Read the full story here.
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 1:53 PM.
