Kershaw Co. woman in her 80s undergoing coronavirus treatment at Prisma Richland
A Kershaw County woman in her 80s who is one of two South Carolinians suspected of having coronavirus is hospitalized a Columbia hospital, and officials are investigating how she got the virus, state health officials said Saturday morning.
Her COVID-19 diagnosis is pending confirmation by the federal Centers for Disease Control, a DHEC official said at a news conference Saturday morning that included Gov. Henry McMaster.
Test results usually come back from CDC within 24-48 hours, DHEC Director Rick Toomey said at the news conference.
The woman is being treated at Prisma Health Richland Hospital, which is off Harden Street near I-277, the hospital said in a statement.
“The patient is in a special isolation room that helps keeps our team members and the community safe,” the hospital’s statement said. “Because of our expertise, Prisma Health routinely treats patients with potentially infectious diseases and follows extensive protocols to ensure the safety of our patients, team members, community and visitors.”
Dr. Scott Sasser, a chief clinical officer for Prisma Health, said the hospital system has extensive plans in place to handle the virus.
“The health and wellbeing of our community, including our team members, is of the utmost importance,” Sasser said. “I want to reassure everyone that Prisma Health is prepared to respond to COVID-19.”
Authorities are unsure how the woman caught the virus. She had not traveled recently, state Department of Health and Environmental Control official said. Authorities are trying to figure out everyone she has come in contact with.
The woman first saw symptoms on Feb. 27 and was given the coronavirus test on Thursday, March 5, officials said.
“We want to commend our entire team, especially our front-line caregivers,” Sasser said. “They are showing their commitment to our community by caring for this patient. We have a team who not only is well prepared with the proper training, but also has all proper protective equipment to minimize their risk of exposure.”
Linda Bell, DHEC’s epidemiologist, said the woman’s treatment at a local hospital should be no reason for people to avoid hospitals or for a hospital with a coronavirus patient to close. Hospitals frequently treat patients with contagious diseases, and hospital staffers are trained to treat people in isolation.
McMaster announced that MUSC is opening up a telemedicine program that South Carolina residences can visit online to talk about any flu-like symptoms so that state health officials can know about any cases of coronavirus quickly. The service is free to South Carolinians and can be accessed at musc.care. Click on the COVID19 link at the top. The password for South Carolina residents is covid19.
Another woman in Charleston, who’s in her 30s, is also presumed to have contracted the virus. She was recently in Italy and France and flew back to South Carolina through Charleston, a DHEC official said. MUSC said the woman is affiliated with the university.
Officials described her case as mild, adding that she did not require hospitalization.
DHEC alerted the public Friday night about the two presumed positive tests. The two cases were not linked, Bell said.
Those who have tested positive, but don’t need hospitalization, usually reach an agreement with DHEC to self-quarantine, Bell said. If the people sick with coronavirus break that agreement, DHEC “can force isolation” to prevent the spread of disease, Bell said.
McMaster urged residents to remain calm, saying state authorities have been planning for a potential coronavirus diagnosis in South Carolina. He said he has been in touch with Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the White House’s coronavirus response.
“He was assuring us all whatever is necessary will be done,” McMaster said of his talks with Pence.
Bell encouraged people to be prepared, but to not panic.
“There is no reason to alter your daily routine,” except to keep washing hands and keep covering coughs, Bell said.
Coronavirus had been creeping into the southeastern part of the country for several days. On Tuesday, March 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first coronavirus case in North Carolina, according to The News & Observer.
A day before that, on Monday March 2, neighboring Georgia had its first cases of coronavirus. There, two people who lived together were diagnosed with coronavirus after one of them had recently returned from a trip to Italy, according to media reports.
As of Saturday, more than 102,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 3,491 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, 340 people have been diagnosed with the novel virus. Seventeen deaths have been reported, including 12 in King County, Washington, according to Johns Hopkins University and NBC News.
On Saturday, Florida reported its first two deaths from coronavirus.
The World Health Organization has said the coronavirus death rate is 3.4% globally.
Symptoms of coronavirus vary from mild to severe and include coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath, according to the CDC.
The best way to prevent infection is to wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC.
The U.S. Surgeon General has urged members of the public to avoid buying masks because they are ineffective at preventing coronavirus, and buying them saps vital resources for health officials who need them.
This story was originally published March 7, 2020 at 11:29 AM.