Coronavirus updates for April 5: Here’s what to know in South Carolina this week
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is providing weekly updates every Tuesday.
Fewer than 1,000 COVID cases last week
At least 1.4 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and at least 17,650 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday, April 5, reported 951 new COVID-19 cases and two coronavirus-related deaths for the week of March 27-April 2. The counts include probable and confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.
The omicron variant accounted for 100% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina for the week ending April 2, according to the latest available state data. The DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory conducts sequencing on randomly chosen samples as part of nationwide efforts to identify new strains of the virus, the agency’s website reads.
An average of 132 people in the state have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in the last week, including 25 patients being treated in intensive care units and 10 patients on ventilators.
As of April 5, 2.3% of molecular COVID-19 tests received in the last seven days returned a positive result. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said 5% or lower means there is a low level of community spread.
Just over 54% percent of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and nearly 63% have received at least one dose, state health data shows.
Medicare covering costs of up to 8 at-home COVID tests a month
Medicare is now covering at-home COVID-19 tests at no cost, officials said.
Those enrolled in Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage plans are able to get up to eight of the tests each month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Monday, April 4, in a news release.
“You can get your free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests from any eligible pharmacy or health care provider that voluntarily participates in this initiative, even if you aren’t a current customer or patient,” officials said in the news release.
For more information, read the full story here.
White House launches ‘one stop shop’ for COVID-19 information
Access to the latest COVID-19 developments, resources and guidance is now just a click away thanks to a new website launched by the White House, McClatchy News reported.
COVID.gov went live Wednesday, March 30, and provides Americans a “one stop shop” for information related to the virus, including vaccines and where to get tested. There’s also a search bar visitors can use to find updated guidance for their respective communities, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Because of the lifesaving tools we now have, America is in a new moment in the pandemic,” the White House said in a statement.
The new website is available in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and can be accessed with assistive technologies, according to officials.
For more information, read the full story here.
This story was originally published April 5, 2022 at 3:07 PM.