The county now has 220 confirmed cases and eight coronavirus-related deaths, according to S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. There were no new deaths of Beaufort County residents reported Saturday.
DHEC announced the virus’ recovery rate in a Friday news release.
“67 percent of South Carolina patients confirmed to have had COVID-19 are estimated to have recovered from the disease,” the release said. Excluding the 119 people who have died of coronavirus, “the remaining patients are presumed to currently be experiencing some phase of the illness,” officials said.
The department will now report the recovery rate every Tuesday and Friday, although the news release offered few details on how it’s calculated.
The announcement comes as some states are discussing plans to re-open in May. S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster reopened boat landings for launches starting April 17.
Beaufort residents David Jackson, seated, a survivor of COVID-19, is pushed down the hallway on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 after being treated for the coronavirus at Beaufort Memorial Hospital as his wife, Rebecca Jackson, third from left, holds his hand. David Jackson left the hospital after a months long battle with the coronavirus. Drew Martin dmartin@islandpacket.com
Across South Carolina, 4,246people have tested positive for the virus, and health officials estimate 26,000more have been infected, according to Saturday’s data.
DHEC reported 119coronavirus-related deaths in the state as of Saturday.
Here is the breakdown of coronavirus cases in Beaufort County ZIP codes, both positive and possible. According to DHEC, these numbers are current as ofFridayat midnight:
70 positive and 430 possible in Beaufort (29902)
No positive and six possible west of Beaufort (29904)
28 positive and 172 possible northwest of Beaufort (29906)
18 positive and 111 possible east of Beaufort (29907)
11 positive and 68 possible in Okatie (29909)
40 positive and 246 possible in Bluffton (29910)
One positive and six possible on Daufuskie Island (29915)
Eight positive and 49 possible on St. Helena Island (29920)
16 positive and 98 possible on Hilton Head Island (29926)
Nine positive and 55 possible on Hilton Head Island (29928)
Seven positive and 43 possible in Port Royal (29935)
Eight positive and 49 possible in Ridgeland (29936)
Five positive and 31 possible in Hardeeville (29927)
One positive and six possible in Seabrook (29940)
One positive and six possible in Sheldon (29941)
Four positive and 25 possible in Yemassee (29945)
Positive cases are those in which a patient has been tested and diagnosed with coronavirus. Possible cases include positive and estimated coronavirus cases that have not been diagnosed. Because of a lack of access to testing, state health officials said this week that for every one confirmed case, there could be up to nine people who are infected but have not been tested.
DHEC previously separated ZIP-code level data by county. Saturday’s data was presented by ZIP code only, meaning ZIP codes that cover multiple counties could include confirmed cases from more than one county.
Dr. Mark Bechtel, D.O., wearing full personal protective equipment explains on Friday, April 2, 2020 at Beaufort Memorial Hospital ’s Express Care on Ribaut Road, that Streptococcus or strep and flu tests are done when swabbing patients whose symptoms could be COVID-19. While the coronavirus results must be sent off-site, strep and flu results can be garnered on site within minutes. When asked about positive flu results Bechtel said, “The flu results have been low.” Drew Martin dmartin@islandpacket.com
Coronavirus-related deaths in Beaufort County
Beaufort County has had eight coronavirus-related deaths. All were elderly patients with underlying health conditions, according to DHEC. They include:
An 81-year-old Beaufort man who died March 30.
A 72-year-old Beaufort man who died March 31.
An 86-year-old Hilton Head Island man who died April 3.
An 89-year-old Hilton Head woman who died April 4.
An 83-year-old Lady’s Island woman who died April 7.
A 75-year-old Bluffton man who died April 9.
A 75-year-old Hilton Head man who died April 12.
A 93-year-old Bluffton man who died April 13.
How many COVID-19 cases are on Parris Island?
Coronavirus cases related to the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island south of Port Royal have been difficult to track in DHEC’s ZIP code data because the 29905 ZIP code associated with the depot was removed from the daily report.
After several changes in reporting practices, the latest DHEC report has said the 29905 ZIP code’s cases have been absorbed into 29906, the nearest ZIP code, per “geocoding best practices,” according to a spokesperson’s email last week.
On Saturday, there were 28 confirmed cases in the 29906 ZIP code.
Katherine Kokal graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and joined The Island Packet newsroom in 2018. Before moving to the Lowcountry, she worked as an interviewer and translator at a nonprofit in Barcelona and at two NPR member stations. At The Island Packet, Katherine covers Hilton Head Island’s government, environment, development, beaches and the all-important Loggerhead Sea Turtle. She has earned South Carolina Press Association Awards for in-depth reporting, government beat reporting, business beat reporting, growth and development reporting, food writing and for her use of social media.
