SC reports more than 1,200 new COVID-19 cases, 17 additional deaths
South Carolina health officials announced Monday that 1,226 more Palmetto State residents tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of people diagnosed with the virus since March up to 82,071.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials also reported that 17 more people have died after contracting COVID-19. South Carolina’s death toll tied to confirmed cases of COVID-19 has now reached 1,452.
State health officials did not hold a briefing with reporters Monday.
Which counties were affected?
Florence County saw the most reported deaths Monday with four. It was followed by Darlington County with three and Anderson County with two. Calhoun, Chester, Colleton, Dorchester, Horry, Jasper, Lexington and Pickens counties saw one death each.
Greenville County saw the largest increase in confirmed cases with 121. In the Midlands, Richland County saw 96 people test positive for the virus, and Lexington County saw 55.
Are all cases accounted for?
DHEC officials estimate that as much as 86% of South Carolinians who contract the coronavirus don’t get tested. As of Monday, health officials estimated that 584,288 people have actually contracted COVID-19 since March.
State health officials have also started to track what officials consider to be probable cases or probable deaths. A probable case is someone who has not received lab test results but has virus symptoms or a positive antibody test. A probable death is someone who has not gotten a lab test but whose death certificate lists COVID-19 as a cause of death or a contributing factor.
On Monday, DHEC identified three new probable cases and no new probable deaths. In all, state health officials are investigating 346 probable cases and 54 probable deaths.
How are hospitals being impacted?
State health officials are transitioning to a new health care reporting system and did not report information about how many coronavirus patients were hospitalized Monday.
However, South Carolina has seen record number of hospitalized coronavirus patients nearly every day in July.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has said the state is ready to implement a plan to create new bed space if hospitals become overburdened. He added he may require medical facilities to postpone elective procedures again. Officials with the S.C. Emergency Management Division have said the state had not reached that point.
In Orangeburg County, the S.C. National Guard was called to build overflow tents for treating coronavirus patients when necessary.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
South Carolina has seen record daily coronavirus case counts since June. New cases announced in the last four weeks accounted for nearly 50% of all cases since March.
Last week, daily case counts ranged from 1,368 to 2,335. The week before, they fell between 2,295 to 1,481.
DHEC officials also noted that the percentage of tests that turn up positive — another indicator of the coronavirus’ spread — has been high, hovering around 20% for the last 28 days..
Officials reported that 14.6% of tests reported Monday were positive. That number is similar to what health officials saw in March and early April, and lower than the proportion of tests coming back positive has been in recent days.
Over the last 28 days, the percentage of tests that were positive hovered around 20%. Monday marked the lowest it had been in a month.
In May, at its lowest point, the percentage of positive tests fell between 2% and 4% on average.
Nationally, about 8.7% of tests turn up positive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In all, 711,726 tests have been completed since March.
Why are case numbers up?
DHEC officials say case counts are surging because more people are leaving their homes as businesses reopen. Fewer people are practicing social distancing and wearing masks, they said.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has gradually reopened businesses since April 20, including restaurants, retailers, beaches, gyms and salons. McMaster has repeatedly said he would not consider closing businesses again or requiring South Carolinians to wear masks in response to the coronavirus case explosion.
In contrast to McMaster’s statements, state epidemiologist Linda Bell has said a statewide mask requirement could help to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Local officials have taken their own steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including in Columbia where masks are now required.
How are deaths trending?
Deaths reported to DHEC officials each day are delayed, so each day’s release of death numbers results in cases being added to the state’s daily death counts for previous days. For example, the 17 confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported Monday dated as far back as July 17.
Regardless, the state has seen an increase in deaths starting in late June.
On its deadliest day, around July 20, the coronavirus took the lives of 44 South Carolinians.
This story was originally published July 27, 2020 at 2:50 PM with the headline "SC reports more than 1,200 new COVID-19 cases, 17 additional deaths."
