SC congresswoman just said she tested positive for COVID. Is the virus still a threat here?
A South Carolina congresswoman has recently tested positive for COVID-19, for the third time, raising questions about how concerning the virus remains.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Daniel Island, confirmed Monday that she tested positive for COVID-19 following two previous infections on Jun. 23, 2020, and again on Jan. 10, 2022. The 1st District congresswoman was fully vaccinated in the spring of 2021, according to a news release.
Mace’s diagnosis spurs questions surrounding how threatening COVID remains at a time where the world has appeared to have moved on from the pandemic.
Since the end of June, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control discontinued its use of a COVID-19 dashboard on its website, reflecting, among other things, the number of new COVID infections across the state.
“As reporting requirements changed, DHEC determined that the data provided in the COVID-19 weekly update was no longer as meaningful for our communities to take action from as it once was,” said DHEC spokesperson Casey White.
White said DHEC does, however, continue to maintain vaccination statistics, which show that nearly 61% of South Carolinians 12 and older have, to date, been fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 indicators, including emergency department visits, test positivity and wastewater levels, have begun to show small increases nationally, while hospital admissions have leveled off after a steady decline, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID data tracker.
While CDC data show a 10% increase in COVID hospitalizations since last week, nationally, fewer than 400 South Carolinains have been hospitalized due to COVID during that time.
As a result of Mace’s latest bout with the virus, she was unable to attend votes and committee hearings last week while working remotely, according to a news release. She returned to work this week.
“I wanted to thank our staff for ensuring our office operated on all cylinders last week,” said Mace in a news release. “No one works harder for the Lowcountry to put our constituents first.”
