Coronavirus live updates: Community spread ‘likely’ causing infections in South Carolina
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We’re keeping up with coronavirus news in South Carolina. Continue to check back regularly for updates.
A tenth case
A Lancaster County woman tested positive for COVID-19, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control announced Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 10.
The patient is the state’s 8th presumptive positive, the CDC has only confirmed two South Carolina cases so far.
The department said it is currently investigating who the woman has been in contact with and where she has been, but “at this time there is no known travel outside the state or known contact with another case.”
USC extends spring break
As a precaution, the University of South Carolina is extending spring break through March 22.
“Classes and all campus events will be canceled for the week after spring break, March 16-22 as the university monitors the impact of COVID-19 in South Carolina and makes additional plans,” officials said.
Clemson case tests negative
University of Clemson officials said Wednesday morning that a non-student believed to have possibly contracted coronavirus has tested negative for the illness.
Officials said there are no plans to close the campus, but the possibility of moving classes online is still on the table for now.
Two more possible cases
Two more possible coronavirus cases were reported Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total number of people presumed infected to 9.
Both cases are in Camden, in Kershaw County, where all but two cases have been. Health officials said these latest patients are “either family members or close friends,” The State reported.
Possible COVID-19 case at Clemson
Clemson University announced Tuesday that it is facing a possible case of coronavirus on campus.
The possible COVID-19 patient is not a student, and the individual is presently self-quarantined at their off-campus home, the university said, according to The State.
The school said it is working with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to handle the situation.
Direct contact
An “older” Camden man is the latest in South Carolina to test presumptive positive for the coronavirus, according to state health officials. Currently in isolation, he reportedly contracted coronavirus through direct contact with someone who had previously tested positive.
This brings the number of presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in South Carolina to seven as of Tuesday.
Of those seven cases, The State reports two have been confirmed beyond a doubt by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — a process that takes 24 to 48 hours.
The two diagnosed by the CDC were reported in Camden and Charleston, health officials said.
Officials are still awaiting word on the other five, but told The State that all those tested, presumptive or otherwise, are in “stable” condition.
Community spread
Health officials cautioned that the potential for spread is high, pointing to Kershaw County where five of the cases were found.
“We now have evidence of community spread that’s likely to be causing these initial cases in Camden in Kershaw County and the risk of spread to other communities is possible, as seen in other states across the country,” state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said. “We are working with the CDC and state and local officials to limit community spread while continuing with our protocol for identifying travel-related cases in the state.”
While the risk of catching COVID-19 is fairly low for the general public, officials said, sick individuals should stay home, for their health and the health of others.
Other cases
Other cases include a Camden woman in her 80s, and two other individuals who “had been in close contact with her, The State previously reported.
Another Camden man tested positive despite having had no contact with any of the other known cases.
A Spartanburg County resident who had recently been abroad in Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by the virus, is having his results verified by the CDC.
Finally, a Charleston woman in her 30s tested positive after returning from Europe, where she had visited both Italy and France.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 12:04 PM.