31 coronavirus cases announced in Beaufort Co. Saturday as SC confirms over 800
Thirty-one new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Beaufort County on Saturday along with one probable case.
No new deaths were announced in the county.
Since mid-August, the county has seen fewer daily cases. But the number of COVID-19 tests conducted in the area has also dropped. And the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Monday reclassified the county as having “high” recent disease activity.
On Friday, the University of South Carolina Beaufort announced four new cases associated with the school, bringing the total number of campus infections to 16.
At USC’s Columbia campus, hundreds of students have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Some experts fear a possible surge of cases this fall as in-person classes resume at schools across the state.
Local numbers
Viral and antibody tests results reported Friday: 251
Percent of positive viral tests last week: 12.3%
Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 20.5
Total cases: 5,084 confirmed
Total deaths: 71 confirmed
Two-week incidence rate: 204.6 cases per 100,000 people, “moderately high”
An incidence rate measures how quickly a disease is spreading through a given population.
Dr. Scott Curry, the infectious disease specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina, 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 Saturday: 15.2%
New cases announced Saturday: 827
Total cases: 129,978 confirmed
New deaths announced Saturday: 17
Total deaths: 2,891 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 1,237 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,004 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 287 cases. The 29926 ZIP code covering the north side has 610 cases, according to DHEC data.
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 at the following link. Click on it, then click on “Go to Cases,” then click on Beaufort County on the S.C. map: bit.ly/BeaufortCountyZIP
What are DHEC’s recommendations?
State health officials say residents should continue to practice social distancing and wear a mask in public.
“Recently, our (case) numbers have been slowly trending downward,” said Dr. Linda Bell, the state’s top epidemiologist, late last month. “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 12, 2020 at 12:50 PM.
