COVID-19 death announced in Beaufort Co. Monday as DHEC reports ‘medium’ disease activity
State health officials on Monday reported another COVID-19 death in Beaufort County.
The person, who was described as elderly, died Friday, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
DHEC on Monday also reclassified the county as having “medium” recent disease activity. School districts track that metric to plan reopenings. Beaufort County was listed as having “high” recent disease activity last week, DHEC data show.
Superintendent Frank Rodriguez of the Beaufort County Public School District told school board members on Sept. 1 that he would like to see “about three weeks” of a “medium-risk” rating from DHEC before reopening school buildings, along with a drop to 10% of COVID-19 tests in the county returning positive.
Since mid-August, the county has seen fewer daily cases. Only 23 new infections were confirmed in the county Monday, for example.
But the number of COVID-19 tests conducted in the area has also dropped. And some experts fear a possible surge of cases this fall as schools resume in-person classes.
Local numbers
Viral and antibody tests results reported Sunday: 363
Percent of positive viral tests last week: 10.3%
Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 17.4
Total cases: 5,180 confirmed
Total deaths: 73 confirmed
Two-week incidence rate: 203.5 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, 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 Sunday: 9.8%
New cases announced Monday: 525
Total cases: 130,256 confirmed
New deaths announced Monday: 7
Total deaths: 2,922 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 1,256 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,007 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 322 cases. The 29926 ZIP code covering the north side has 625 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 should 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.
