Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Sept. 5
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
More than 900 new cases reported
At least 122,313 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina and 2,738 have died, according to state officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Saturday reported 918 new cases of the virus. The previous day saw the highest number of new cases since July with 1,511.
The percent of positive tests was lower at 12.7% on Saturday. The World Health Organization and state health officials recommend 5% or lower to bring the transmission of COVID-19 under control.
Officials on Saturday also reported 32 additional coronavirus-related deaths.
Richland County has surge of cases
With 563 new cases in two days, Richland County is having a spike in new coronavirus cases. The spike comes as students return to the University of South Carolina in Columbia and other college campuses.
Positive cases in Midlands schools
Several Midlands school districts have reported outbreaks of the coronavirus affecting students and staff, The State reports.
Richland 1 and Richland 2 say multiple campuses have had small outbreaks of five cases or fewer.
A.C. Flora High School, Hand Middle School, and Hopkins Elementary were impacted sites in Richland 1. Catawba Trail Elementary, Muller Road Middle School, and Richland Northeast High School saw infections in Richland 2.
Lexington 1 had fewer than five faculty members catch COVID-19 at Lexington Elementary School. In Lexington 3, fewer than five tested positive at Batesburg-Leesville Middle School.
400 more cases at USC
Active coronavirus cases at the University of South Carolina increased by 426, the school announced Friday, for a total of 1,443 infections since classes began Aug. 20.
This news comes as the school halts its on-demand COVID-19 saliva testing program, which school officials touted as a “game changer,” allowing them to quickly identify and quarantine infected students and to control the spread of the coronavirus on campus. That program has been paused until at least Tuesday due to a key lab technician becoming ill.
The percentage of positive tests dropped from 26% last week to 19% this week, but the total number of tests conducted also declined from 2,336 to 1,917.
DHEC: K-12 students, faculty catching COVID-19
Students and school faculty in K-12 districts across South Carolina have tested positive for COVID-19, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control reports.
The state has begun releasing data about coronavirus cases among K-12 schools, and the first report came out Friday.
Since the school year started, 89 students and 69 school employees have tested positive for the virus, according to the report. Not all those cases of coronavirus were necessarily contracted on school grounds, according to DHEC.
MUSC to participate in vaccine trial
The Medical University of South Carolina has been chosen to take part in a coronavirus vaccine trial, and as many as 1,500 Charleston-area residents will be participating, according to a statement from the university.
MUSC is participating in the phase 3 trial period, which tests the vaccine’s effectiveness among a large population, for an AstraZeneca designed vaccine. The vaccine “has shown promise in battling COVID-19,” the MUSC statement said.
USC running out of space to quarantine students
A health expert at the University of South Carolina warns if coronavirus cases continue to climb at the school like they have in recent weeks, it will soon reach quarantine capacity.
“With the trajectory and the percentage of positive cases, we are getting close to the capacity of our testing, quarantine and isolation rooms,” Dr. Helmut Albrecht, director of infectious disease research at the USC School of Medicine, said. “It’s not sustainable if the uptick continues.”
The university announced Tuesday there were over 1,000 active cases of the virus, almost exclusively among students. There are just over 35,000 students enrolled at USC this fall semester.
Testing down in Beaufort County
Fewer people are getting tested for the coronavirus in Beaufort County.
The county’s seven-day average of newly reported COVID-19 test results has fallen to a level last seen in early June, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
For example, the Wednesday average sat at about 212 molecular, antibody or “unknown” test results received in the county per day.
The county’s seven-day average hasn’t been that low since June 9, when it stood at roughly 201.
“The demand for testing is down quite a bit,” said Dr. Stephen Larson, owner of Sea Pines Circle Immediate Care on Hilton Head Island.
This story was originally published September 5, 2020 at 7:04 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Sept. 5."