SC coronavirus Thursday update: DHEC identifies 2 more presumptive cases
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Two new possible cases of coronavirus have now been reported in South Carolina, state health officials announced Thursday.
One of the cases is in Lancaster County and the other is in Kershaw County. This brings the total count of presumptive positive and confirmed positive cases to 12 — six of which are presumptive positives and six are confirmed positives, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said in a news release.
The Lancaster County case is the second case in that county. This latest patient is a family member or close friend (the release did not say which) of the other Lancaster County patient who tested positive for coronavirus.
“We ask and encourage people not to panic even though a second case has been confirmed,” said Darren Player, Lancaster County director of emergency management. “We ask people to remain cautious, follow the procedures for hand washing and contact with others, and stay safe. We want people to protect themselves as best they can.”
The second new presumptive case is in Camden, where the majority of South Carolina cases have been detected, the release said. The patient was identified as a man, but no age was given. He is “currently hospitalized in isolation,” the release said. Health officials said they do not yet know whether the man has had any contact with other known coronavirus patients.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and will modify our recommendations to address what the public health data is showing in South Carolina and in other areas,” DHEC epidemiologist Linda Bell said in the release. “Our top priorities remain preventing the spread of the disease and protecting the public health. This includes working to control spread and measures that best protect all individuals.”
The number of cases in South Carolina is still relatively low but growing daily. Since Friday, more positive cases have been reported each day in the state as the COVID-19 outbreak has been declared a worldwide pandemic. As of Thursday afternoon, there were more than 127,000 cases of the virus confirmed worldwide, including more than 1,300 in the U.S., where 38 people have died.
In addition to the new cases reported Thursday, 10 other coronavirus patients have been identified in South Carolina: Seven others in Kershaw County, one in Charleston County, one in Spartanburg County and one other in Lancaster County.
On Thursday, the South Carolina Methodist church announced that two members of one of its congregations are hospitalized with the coronavirus, and the pastor as well as two other members are quarantining themselves.
The announcement did not specify what Methodist church the members attended or where the church was located.
The good news from Thursday: “several” of the coronavirus patients who were hospitalized have been released and “are continuing to improve,” Bell said.
Health officials have consistently recommended that people wash their hands regularly with soap and water to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Anyone who develops symptoms of the virus, which include fever, coughing, shortness of breath and other flu-like symptoms, should stay home from work or school and seek medical attention.
On Thursday, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster called on state legislators to spend $45 million from the state’s Emergency Reserve Fund to fight the virus. McMaster suggested lawmakers pull that money from the $128 million one-time taxpayer credit that was approved by the S.C. House on Wednesday.
Ultimately, the legislature will decide whether to allocate the $45 million to DHEC, and there appears to be support for emergency funding.
S.C. House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Murrell Smith sent out a news release Thursday afternoon voicing support for emergency funding to fight coronavirus but stopped short of endorsing McMaster’s specific plan.
Should that be approved, the money would primarily go toward paying personnel, but would also be used to pay for equipment and specialized programs such as those that help low-income people quarantine themselves if they are sick, said DHEC Chief of Staff Jennifer Read.
On Wednesday, McMaster said although the World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a pandemic — meaning the virus is spreading throughout the world — “there remains no cause for public alarm in South Carolina” and said he would not be changing the state’s strategy for addressing the virus.
State health officials, who spoke separately from McMaster, also said coronavirus’ pandemic status does not change the response at a state level.
Large public events across the state are being canceled or postponed, though state officials have not indicated any concern over large events at this time. St. Patrick’s Day weekend events have been affected from North Charleston to Fort Mill to Columbia, which on Wednesday announced it would postpone what has become one of the Southeast’s largest St. Patrick’s celebrations.
Fears of the virus are also having effects on religious ceremonies. All of the Catholic churches in South Carolina will be temporarily: removing holy water from the entrances, asking churchgoers to refrain from holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer, making the sign of peace by bowing instead of hand-shaking and suspending use of wine in communion, according to a release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston.
Several colleges in the state, including the University of South Carolina, have extended their spring breaks and announced classes will be conducted online in an attempt to ward off the spread of the virus on campuses.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 4:10 PM.
