DHEC announces new coronavirus case in SC, links between Kershaw and Lancaster cases
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is investigating one new possible case of the coronavirus in Camden, located in Kershaw County, the agency announced Friday.
The patient is a woman who had contact with another known patient in the area, state epidemiologist Linda Bell said at a news conference Friday afternoon. The woman was evaluated at a health care facility and is isolated at home. DHEC received the positive result from private lab on Thursday.
To date, DHEC has conducted 123 coronavirus tests. Of those, 13 came back positive and 110 were negative for the illness.
“We have learned that the latest cases in Kershaw and Lancaster counties do have links,” Bell said. DHEC is continuing to investigate those links of person-to-person transmission.
“Although we are currently not seeing widespread transmission in South Carolina, we expect to see more cases,” Bell said.
DHEC is now moving from a strategy of containment — identifying individual cases and stopping chain of transmission — to mitigation. Mitigation is to increase practices of social distancing to slow the spread and to “assist health care systems in continuing to provide care,” Bell said.
Bell recommended that the majority of South Carolinians continue their daily routines with increased hygiene practices. Those who are ill are advised to reach out to a health care provider if they notice symptoms of coronavirus. DHEC no longer has to approve testing for the coronavirus, instead leaving it up to individual health care providers.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency amid the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the state. The status opens up doors for additional emergency funding to fight the virus and its effects.
McMaster also announced that public schools in Lancaster and Kershaw counties would close for 14 days as a part of the state of emergency, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
Kershaw and Lancaster counties are the only places in the state where there has been confirmed transmission of the coronavirus.
As of Friday afternoon, Kershaw County had nine confirmed or presumptive cases of the coronavirus and Lancaster County had two. Charleston County and Spartanburg County each had one confirmed coronavirus patient as of Friday.
McMaster’s order will also ask S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman to work with the state Department of Health and Environmental Control to determine if or when other school districts should close. As of Friday, Midlands school districts had cut back on extracurricular activities, such as community service and field trips, but none had announced plans to close schools.
The governor’s order applies to more than just K-12 schools in Lancaster and Kershaw counties. The order also suspends visitation to state and local correctional facilities and activates price gouging laws, the release said.
Visitation to nursing homes will be allowed only in “end of life situations,” according to the news release. South Carolina’s price gouging law also goes into effect with the governor’s order, offering protections to those seeking emergency supplies. Suspected price gouging can be reported to the S.C. Attorney General’s Office.
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 13, 2020 at 5:43 PM.