18 new coronavirus infections in Beaufort Co., no new deaths on Saturday
Eighteen more Beaufort County residents were infected with COVID-19 as of Saturday, according to state health officials.
There were no new deaths in the county.
Daily cases in Beaufort County have ticked down since the summer, as testing has also dropped off.
New numbers from S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, however, show a short spike in tests on Friday, more than doubling to 598 taken.
Local numbers
Viral test results reported Friday: 503
Average percent of positive viral tests in the past week: 7.1%
Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 15.8
Total cases: 5,793 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 85 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week incidence rate: 122.8 cases per 100,000 people, “moderate”
Statewide numbers
Percent of positive non-antibody tests reported Friday: 10.6%
New cases announced Saturday: 860
Total cases: 150,915 confirmed
New deaths announced Saturday: 21
Total deaths: 3,346 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 1,435 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,133 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 359 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 685 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.
People who are active in the community or those who can’t effectively social distance or wear a mask should be tested for COVID-19 monthly, according to DHEC.
“Recently, our (case) numbers have been slowly trending downward,” said Dr. Linda Bell, the state’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.
