SC COVID-19 deaths surpass 2,000, cases fall below 1,000 for second day
South Carolina health officials announced Tuesday that 928 more people tested positive for COVID-19, continuing a trend of falling daily case numbers over the last six days and bringing the total number of Palmetto State residents diagnosed with the virus up to 101,360.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials also reported that 45 more people have died after contracting the coronavirus. In all, 2,012 South Carolinians have died after testing positive for the virus.
DHEC officials did not hold a briefing with reporters Tuesday.
The number of cases confirmed each day has been on a steady decline since the end of July.
While South Carolina has seen more than 1,000 new cases reported nearly every day since June 24, last week the daily case counts ranged from 1,105 to 1,295, a decline from the previous week when case count ranged from 1,170 to 1,666. New cases announced in the last four weeks accounted for nearly 44% of all cases since March.
On Monday, state health officials reported their lowest daily case count since June with 718. And on Friday, state health officials said the virus’ progression is slowing thanks to local mask mandates and residents practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
Cases surged in South Carolina after the governor reopened businesses since late April and May, including restaurants, retailers, beaches, gyms and salons. In late July, he issued an order reopening the remaining closed businesses while putting in place a limited statewide mask rule.
According to an analysis from The State, some of the state’s largest cities, like Charleston, Greenville, Spartanburg, Beaufort and Myrtle Beach, have seen the rate of coronavirus spread slow in their cities after instituting a mask rule. Many of those cities were home to the state’s worst outbreaks.
Another indicator of the coronavirus’ spread is the percentage of tests that turn up positive each day. DHEC officials have said, on average, the daily rate of COVID-19 tests turn out positive has been as high as 20%, but lately has dropped to a daily average of about 18%.
On Tuesday, 20% of tests reported were positive, more than what health officials saw in March and early April. 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, and the World Health Organization suggests that the percent of positive tests should be below 5% before countries consider reopening.
In all, 853,899 tests have been completed since March.
Which counties were affected?
In the Midlands, Richland County saw the largest increase in confirmed cases Tuesday with 95. Lexington County saw 33 residents test positive for COVID-19.
The following counties saw residents die after contracting COVID-19: Aiken (1), Allendale (2), Anderson (3), Bamberg (2), Barnwell (2), Beaufort (1), Calhoun (2), Charleston (5), Clarendon (1), Dorchester (3), Fairfield (1), Florence (1), Greenville (5), Hampton (1), Horry (3), Jasper (1), Kershaw (2), Lexington (2), Oconee (1), Orangeburg (3), Richland (1), Spartanburg (1) and Sumter (1).
What’s new?
DHEC officials launched a new web page with more detailed coronavirus data. The page can give readers county-specific COVID-19 data, including the number of tests conducted in that county, confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
The page also has data about the number of cases in assisted living facilities in that county and a demographic break down of everyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the area.
The page can be found at scdhec.gov/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19.
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimate that up to 86% of South Carolinians who contract the virus don’t get tested. As of Tuesday, they estimated that 724,007 people in all have likely contracted COVID-19 since March.
DHEC has also been recording probable cases and 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 Tuesday, state health officials reported 16 new probable cases and four new probable deaths. That brings the total number of probable cases up to 770 and total probable deaths to 86.
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 45 confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported Tuesday dated as far back as June 9.
Regardless, the state has seen an increase in deaths starting in late June. Changes in the number of deaths tend to lag behind changes in the number of cases, according to DHEC. So, if cases begin to decrease, it will be a few weeks before deaths follow suit.
On its deadliest day, around July 20, the coronavirus took the lives of 54 South Carolinians.
How are hospitals being impacted?
Starting in late June, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients steadily increased.
The number of coronavirus patients hospitalized at one time peaked at more than 1,700 on July 23, and the state has seen small decreases in those daily numbers since. Some data since late July was unavailable, though, because DHEC transitioned to a new tracking system, which will give more precise information about COVID-19-related hospital conditions.
Of the 1,330 people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus, 339 are in intensive care and, of those, 207 are on ventilators, state health officials said Monday.
Across the state, 2,423 of 10,425 total hospital beds are available, meaning 75% of beds are in use.
In the Midlands, hospitals have even less available space. In Richland County, 92% of beds are occupied, and in Lexington County, 79% of beds are in use.
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.
This story was originally published August 11, 2020 at 4:23 PM with the headline "SC COVID-19 deaths surpass 2,000, cases fall below 1,000 for second day."
