First Beaufort Co. coronavirus death reported as cases jump to 74
A Beaufort resident with underlying health conditions has died after being infected by the coronavirus, state and local health officials said on Monday afternoon.
Beaufort County now has 74 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to a news release. The 24 new cases announced Monday represent an almost 50% increase over the county’s previous total.
The 81-year-old Beaufort man died at 5:53 a.m. on Monday after being treated at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, said Chief Deputy Coroner David Ott. The man’s cause of death was acute respiratory failure caused by the virus, said Ott.
DHEC did not provide further information about the deceased individual, and Ott declined to release the man’s name.
The agency said last week it had a COVID-19 testing backlog for the virus after experiencing a shortage of necessary chemicals, which resulted in a spike in reported cases over the weekend.
“Today’s announcement is a stark reminder of the serious threat that COVID-19 poses to our families, friends, and communities. We encourage all South Carolinians to continue to listen to the guidance of our public health professionals and to, when possible, stay home and limit your close contact with others,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, a DHEC physican, in a statement.
On Monday, state officials reported 151 new cases of the virus, for a total of 925 cases in 41 counties, according to the release.
More than 20 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island, Military.com reported Monday.
Where are Beaufort County’s cases?
On Friday, state health officials released new location data showing the ZIP codes of confirmed coronavirus cases in Beaufort County. The data revealed three cases on Hilton Head, six in Bluffton and more than 15 north of the Broad River.
S.C. Governor Henry McMaster ordered ZIP code-level information on cases be shared after county officials said their first responders were “flying blind.”
Since first releasing the information with total numbers of cases by ZIP code on Friday, DHEC has updated its website to display only which ZIP codes have recorded at least one case over the past 14 days.
The agency continues to update county officials on a daily basis but is limiting publicly available location information, “particularly in cases that occur in small or other close-knit communities where even basic pieces of information could identify an individual,” said a spokesperson.
“We want all South Carolinians, regardless of the number of reported positive cases within their community, to take the same daily precautions to protect against this virus,” said the DHEC spokesperson.
As of Friday at midnight, there were COVID-19 cases at the following Beaufort County ZIP codes:
- Beaufort (29902)
- Parris Island (29905)
- Northwest of Beaufort (29906)
- East of Beaufort (29907)
- Okatie (29909)
- Bluffton (29910)
- Daufuskie Island (29915)
- St. Helena’s Island (29920)
Hilton Head Island (29925, 29926 and 29928)
Port Royal (29935)
The data list a case in Ridgeland with the Beaufort County cases. That case is in 29936 ZIP code.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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 30, 2020 at 4:42 PM.
