1 coronavirus death reported in Beaufort Co. Wednesday as new infections remain low
Another COVID-19-related death was reported in Beaufort County on Wednesday even as the area continued to see a low daily number of newly confirmed coronavirus infections.
The person, who died Tuesday, was 35 to 64 years old, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
As of Wednesday, 67 people in the county have died after contracting the deadly pathogen, DHEC data show.
State health officials also announced 18 new COVID-19 cases in the county Wednesday. Since mid-August, the area has seen fewer daily cases, and DHEC on Monday classified the county as having “medium” recent disease activity.
But the percentage of positive coronavirus tests in Beaufort County remains high. And experts fear a possible surge of new infections this fall as schools resume in-person classes. At the University of South Carolina, hundreds of students have already been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In Beaufort County, all 26 members of the USC Beaufort’s women’s soccer team had to quarantine after two members tested positive last month.
Local numbers
Number of viral and antibody tests conducted Tuesday: 110
Percent of positive viral tests last week: 14.3%
Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 23.5
Two-week incidence rate: 207.2 cases per 100,000 people, “moderately high”
An incidence rate measures how quickly a disease is spreading through a given population.
Dr. Scott Curry, an infectious disease specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, said counties should aim to have a two-week incidence rate of less than 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
The World Health Organization, meanwhile, has suggested that governments reopen only after the percentage of positive tests is below 5% for at least two weeks.
Statewide numbers
Percent of positive non-antibody tests reported Tuesday: 19.6%
New cases announced Wednesday: 601
Total cases: 118,699
New deaths announced Wednesday: 26
Total deaths: 2,652
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead Beaufort County with 1,187 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 907 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Coronavirus infections at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island are being reported in the 29902 ZIP code.
More information on Beaufort County ZIP code data can be found here: bit.ly/BeaufortCountyZIP
What are DHEC’s recommendations?
State health officials say residents should continue to practice social distancing and should wear a mask in public.
“Recently, our (case) numbers have been slowly trending downward,” said Dr. Linda Bell, DHEC’s top epidemiologist, in late August. “For that to continue, we cannot let up.”
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow South Carolina’s coronavirus data is compiled
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s total COVID-19 case count includes anyone who has tested positive since the pandemic began. The data also include those who have recovered or died.
The state agency does not provide an overall, county-by-county number of cases versus the number of people who have recovered.
DHEC counts deaths based on where a patient lives rather than where they died.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 3:23 PM.
