110 COVID-19 cases reported in Beaufort County Monday, setting new daily record

A new daily record on Monday — the highest number of new cases of COVID-19 reported in Beaufort County, at 110 — brings the total to 3,094 since the pandemic began, according to data from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

As of Monday, the Bluffton ZIP code of 29910 continued to lead the county with 854 cases.

South Carolina has recorded 82,071 cases of the novel coronavirus and 1,452 confirmed deaths since the pandemic began.

No deaths were reported Monday in Beaufort County.

Beaufort County has had 36 COVID-19 related deaths, according to data from DHEC and the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office. This includes 15 in July. The month’s death toll surpasses the record of nine, set in April.

Statewide, there were 17 confirmed deaths reported Monday. Three of the individuals were identified as middle aged and 14 as elderly.

DHEC identifies anyone between the ages of 18 and 34 as a young adult, 35 to 64 as middle aged and anyone age 65 or older as elderly. No other identifying information was released by the agency, such as exact age or gender.

Beaufort County’s seven-day average of new daily coronavirus cases was 83 Monday. That is the highest average since the pandemic started.

The county’s lowest seven-day average for new cases was zero on May 9.

DHEC reported that every county but five — Edgefield, Lancaster, Marlboro, Cherokee and Oconee — had 301 cases or more per 100,000 people, reported between July 7 and July 20.

The state agency also reported that Beaufort was seeing an increase in incidence rates for the past two weeks compared to the previous two-week period. Counties that saw a stable or decreasing rate included Charleston, Marion, Horry, Dillon, Lancaster, Laurens, Pickens and Oconee.

Fourteen percent of the 8,395 COVID-19 tests completed statewide Sunday were positive, DHEC says.

Beaufort County could have as many as 19,006 undiagnosed cases, DHEC officials say.

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

The total count of cases includes anyone who has tested positive since the pandemic started. The data also includes those who have recovered or died.

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

DHEC does not provide an overall, county-by-county number of cases versus the number of people who have recovered. It also does not release any identifying information or specifics concerning underlying conditions someone who dies from the coronavirus might have had.

DHEC counts deaths based on where the patient lives rather than where he or she died.

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