1 additional death, 16 new coronavirus cases reported in Beaufort Co. Saturday
Another Beaufort County resident has died after contracting the coronavirus.
A person described as elderly died on Sept. 22, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Sixteen new coronavirus infections were also confirmed in the county Saturday.
Since mid-August, Beaufort County has seen fewer daily cases. And DHEC on Monday again classified the county as having “medium” recent disease activity.
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 face-to-face classes.
The Beaufort County School District plans to begin in-person classes Oct. 5.
Local numbers
Viral test results reported Friday: 148
Average percent of positive viral tests in the past week: 12.4%
Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 22.7
Total cases: 5,614 confirmed
Total deaths: 83 confirmed
Two-week incidence rate: 210.3 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 Saturday: 9.9%
New cases announced Saturday: 639
Total cases: 141,338 confirmed cases
New deaths announced Saturday: 27
Total deaths: 3,141 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 1,358 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,089 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 339 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 652 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.