Coronavirus-related deaths in Beaufort County hit 12 Tuesday

The 12th coronavirus-related death for Beaufort County was reported Tuesday by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The elderly person is one of 13 deaths reported statewide. Other details were not available.

Twelve of the 13 statewide victims were elderly. One was middle aged.

One new positive case of coronavirus was reported for the county for a total of 270 since the pandemic began.

The rise follows two days in a row where no cases were reported in the county. That two-day period was the first time no cases were reported in the county since March 15 and March 16.

Statewide there were 6,841 cases of coronavirus as of May 5.

Coronavirus-related deaths

Here are the Beaufort County deaths recorded by the coroner’s office as of Wednesday, May 6:

• 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 71-year-old Hilton Head man who died April 12.
• A 93-year-old Bluffton man who died April 13.
• An 80-year-old Okatie man who died April 19.
• An 80-year-old Yemassee man who died April 23
• An 84-year-old Beaufort man who died April 28

The list does not include the death reported by DHEC Tuesday. Asked about the 12th death, Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen said Wednesday afternoon his office has not recorded any new coronavirus-related deaths this week.

Hospital capacity

As of Tuesday afternoon, 48.7 percent of hospital beds in Beaufort County were being utilized, and 64.44 percent statewide, for all types of hospitalizations, DHEC data show.

Of the 6,415 beds currently in use statewide, 447 are occupied by patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are under investigation.

Cases by ZIP code

Here is the breakdown of confirmed coronavirus cases in Beaufort County ZIP codes as of May 5.

• 84 positive in Beaufort (29902)
• 41 positive northwest of Beaufort (29906)
• 22 positive east of Beaufort (29907)
• 14 positive in Okatie (29909)
• 48 positive in Bluffton (29910)
• One positive on Daufuskie Island (29915)
• 10 positive on St. Helena Island (29920)
• 17 positive on Hilton Head Island (29926)
• 12 positive on Hilton Head (29928)
• Nine positive in Port Royal (29935)
• 14 positive in Ridgeland (29936)
• Five positive in Hardeeville (29927)
• Two positive in Seabrook (29940)
• One positive in Sheldon (29941)
• Four positive in Yemassee (29945)

Beaufort County could have as many as 1,659 undiagnosed cases, DHEC officials say.

Positive cases are those in which a patient has been tested and diagnosed with coronavirus. Because of a lack of access to testing, state health officials have said that for every one confirmed case, there could be up to nine people who are infected but have not been tested.

DHEC’s totals can have small increases and decreases day to day as officials find discrepancies in the data.

The cases include anyone who has tested positive since the pandemic started. The data also includes those who have recovered or died. According to DHEC, these numbers are current as of May 4

Coronavirus cases at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island are being reported in the 29902 ZIP code.

This story was updated on May 6 to include information from the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office.

This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 7:14 PM.