Coronavirus updates for Dec. 14: 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. Check back each week for updates.
6,500 new COVID cases in SC last week
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday, Dec. 13, reported 6,501 COVID-19 cases for the week ending Dec. 10 and 17 coronavirus-related deaths for the week ending Dec. 3.
The counts include probable and confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.
An estimated 1.75 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and more than 18,700 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials.
Data shows COVID-19 cases are up nearly 7% compared with this time last week, with hospitalizations rising about 15%. As of Dec. 10, an average of 331 people in the state were hospitalized with the coronavirus, including 45 patients being treated in intensive care and 20 patients on ventilators, the latest data shows.
The omicron subvariant BA.5 accounted for 97% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina for the week ending Nov. 26, according to the latest available data. The DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory conducts sequencing on randomly chosen samples as part of nationwide efforts to find out about new strains of the virus, the agency’s website reads.
Close to 54% of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and nearly 62% have received at least one dose, the latest state health data shows.
Kids under 5 can receive updated COVID vaccine. What to know
Children under 5 years old are now eligible to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine, providing better protection against the virus and its variants, McClatchy News reported.
On Dec. 8, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer’s bivalent coronavirus vaccine for emergency use authorization in youngsters 6 months to 4 years old, the agency said in a news release. Kids aged 6 months to 5 years old can also get a single dose of Moderna’s updated booster shot, officials said.
The expanded authorization comes as pediatric hospitals across the U.S. are inundated with cases of respiratory illnesses including the flu and RSV.
“With the high level of respiratory illnesses currently circulating among children under 5 years of age, updated COVID-19 vaccines may help prevent severe illness and hospitalization,” Pfizer said in a news release.
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