Camden is ground zero for coronavirus in SC. Townspeople are nervous and asking why

The threat of coronavirus was beginning to affect everyday life for Russell “Rusty” Davis as he tried to go about his business this week.

His granddaughter’s daycare center had closed for a thorough cleansing. The bass player and the drummer in his local band had refused to play in an upcoming charity concert because of the virus threat.

And as he pondered those issues Thursday, Davis learned that the biggest single event in Camden — the prestigious Carolina Cup steeplechase — had been canceled in an unprecedented move by its organizers.

“People are scared,’’ Davis, 66, said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I just hope it doesn’t get as bad as it can get.’’

In a historic town best known for its southern charm and vibrant horse racing industry, coronavirus threatens to bring life to a virtual standstill. As in other communities, large gatherings are being canceled or scaled back, and people are being told to make extra efforts to stay germ free.

But in Camden, it’s a bigger deal than in other parts of South Carolina.

Why? As of Thursday, Camden had become ground zero for coronavirus in the Palmetto State. Eight of the 12 cases identified in the state since last week were in Camden — and nobody seems to know why it has clustered in this small city 35 miles northeast of Columbia.

The coronavirus outbreak is potentially the biggest public health concern in Camden since a salmonella infection killed a person and sickened hundreds of others who ate contaminated turkey at a local restaurant in 2005.

At this point, folks are trying to go about their lives as best they can. But that’s getting more difficult by the hour.

At a Rotary Club meeting Thursday, members discussed the possibility that they would postpone future gatherings. Those at the meeting who represented other organizations, including Meals on Wheels and a local arts organization, questioned whether they would need to alter their schedules because of coronavirus.

Questions also surfaced about whether church services needed to be canceled.

“Depending on the congregation, if you have a lot of space in your sanctuary for people to spread out a little bit more, certainly it is best for people not to sit’’ near each other, said Scott Bernhausen, a minister who is an infection control specialist with KershawHealth.

That followed a sobering presentation by officials with Kershaw County’s hospital system about how they think the disease got to Camden, how it is spreading and what people should do to adapt.

“You’re making me feel uncomfortable,’’ said Bruce Little, who oversees the Meals on Wheels program in the Camden area. Officials told him it wouldn’t be necessary to shut the program down, but volunteers might have to reassess the program’s procedures.

The infection stirring so many questions in Camden is not believed to have started in the hospital, but in the community after someone carrying the disease apparently visited the town, according to officials from KershawHealth, the local health care center in Kershaw County.

“At some point in time, an individual who is affected with the coronavirus traveled to the community and others became infected with the coronavirus,’’ Bernhausen said.

A woman in her 80s was the first Camden resident to be diagnosed with the virus. Officials have since said a woman friend and a man who knew the original coronavirus patient also have tested positive. A fourth unrelated case has been identified in Camden, as have two others in which the virus was spread between two people who knew each other. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control said Thursday an eighth Kershaw County person has tested positive.

Cases also have been diagnosed in Charleston, Spartanburg and Lancaster counties, the latter of which is adjacent to Kershaw.

Talk of the cases was widespread in Camden on Thursday, with many people saying they knew some of the patients. The health of some of those infected has begun to improve, said Tallulah Holmstrom, KershawHealth’s chief medical officer.

The virus, which originated in Asia and has spread rapidly to the United States, can live two to three days on surfaces but is largely spread from people who cough or sneeze near others, said Akinwale Olatosi, an infectious disease doctor with KershawHealth.

Ervin Simon, 60, was well aware of the threat as he ran errands in the downtown Thursday.

He emerged from a Camden business Thursday wearing a mask that covered most of his face. The Bishopville resident said he had to visit Camden, a larger city of about 7,000 west of Bishopville, to attend to some business.

“I just want to be careful when I go out or when I go in different places where there are a lot of people sometimes, like doctor’s offices and banks or restaurants,’’ he said, noting that “I got the mask from the hospital and this is my second time wearing it.’’

Simon speculated that travelers who left Camden and returned brought coronavirus to town.

At Williams Barber Shop, barber Damone Washington, 43, said people need to pay more attention to the threat of the virus. Communities where coronavirus hasn’t been verified appear to be taking greater precautions than Camden, he said.

Washington said a good first step was canceling the Carolina Cup to keep people from potential exposure. The cancellation was announced Thursday.

“It’s going to hurt financially and I don’t know if they are going to make that up,’’ Washington said. “But I think that’s for the best.’’

Linda Jeffcoat, 74, said she’s among plenty of people in Camden who are worried, especially her sister. After work each day, her sister goes straight home instead of going out to eat or shopping, as she did before coronavirus showed up, Jeffcoat said. Her sister also wears a mask to work.

“She just is very careful,’’ Jeffcoat said. “She has got like 30 great grandchildren that come to her house and she doesn’t want to hurt them. She tries to keep anything out of her house that might harm them.”

Jeffcoat said she is still moving about the community, including spending time at a quilt shop downtown. But her sister and daughter don’t like it.

“She called me and my oldest daughter called me,’’ Jeffcoat said, noting that they told her ‘Stay home, don’t go out.’ ‘’

For Davis, the only thing he knows to do is sit and wait. The virus not only could threaten people’s health, but devastate business in Camden, he said.

“People who lose all this money from this, what are they going to do?’’ he asked.

This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 5:00 AM.

Sammy Fretwell

The State

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Sammy Fretwell has covered the environment beat for The State since 1995. He writes about an array of issues, including wildlife, climate change, energy, state environmental policy, nuclear waste and coastal development. He has won numerous awards, including Journalist of the Year by the S.C. Press Association in 2017. Fretwell is a University of South Carolina graduate who grew up in Anderson County. Reach him at 803 771 8537. Support my work with a digital subscription