1 death, 8 new COVID-19 cases reported in Beaufort County on Thursday
State health officials reported 8 new cases of the coronavirus in Beaufort County Thursday, the first time since early June the area has seen a single-digit increase in newly reported infections.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control also reported an additional COVID-19-related death, an elderly individual who died on Tuesday, according to a news release.
Since the pandemic began, 4,610 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the county and 63 have died after being infected, according to DHEC data.
Beaufort County’s seven-day average of new daily cases dipped to 25.4 Thursday, following a downward trend during most of the month of August and reaching a level last seen in mid-June.
University of South Carolina Beaufort officials said Monday all 26 members of its women’s soccer team were in quarantine after two team members tested positive.
Following similar moves in other municipalities, the Bluffton Town Council voted Wednesday to extend the town’s face mask requirement in public spaces, which will now expire on Nov. 1 if not repealed by the council before then.
Bluffton’s ZIP code, 29910, continued to lead the county with 1,148 cases reported as of Thursday.
There have been 113,107 confirmed coronavirus cases statewide since the pandemic began, DHEC data show. The health agency confirmed 424 additional cases on Thursday and 42 new COVID-19-related deaths across the state. Thirty-three of those who died were described as elderly, eight as middle aged and one as young (18-34 years old).
The pandemic has resulted in 2,494 deaths statewide, according to DHEC data.
Just over 5% of Beaufort County’s reported COVID-19 cases have resulted in hospitalization during the pandemic, according to DHEC data current as of Wednesday.
About 76% of the county’s hospital beds were occupied as of Wednesday.
Across South Carolina, 1,006 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, with 262 of those people in an intensive care unit, according to DHEC.
Beaufort County could have as many as 26,304 undiagnosed cases, DHEC officials say. That data on estimated cases, though, did not seem to be updated Thursday.
Positive cases are those in which a patient has been tested for and been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Because of a lack of access to testing, state health officials have said that for every confirmed case, up to nine people could be infected but have not been tested.
The total count 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.
The state agency 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 that people who die from the coronavirus might have had.
DHEC counts deaths based on where a patient lives rather than where they died.
Coronavirus cases at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island are being reported in the 29902 ZIP code.
