38 cases of COVID-19 reported in Beaufort Co. as experts warn of Thanksgiving virus spread
Thirty-eight more Beaufort County residents were reported to be infected with COVID-19 one day before Thanksgiving, according to state health officials.
No coronavirus deaths were reported in the county on Wednesday. There were 1,243 new confirmed cases reported in South Carolina and four deaths in the state.
Beaufort County continues to have a high incidence rate, a classification by state health officials of greater than 200 cases per 100,000 people during a two-week period.
The state as a whole is nearing 200,000 positive cases. Experts are fearing transmission of the virus indoors as families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday. Gov. Henry McMaster had told residents to “get tested before turkey.”
S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control will not report daily numbers on Thanksgiving. The agency will begin reporting daily COVID-19 numbers on a 24-hour delay beginning Friday to allow more time to validate data and confirm deaths, the agency said. Health officials recommend taking steps to protect emotional and mental health during the holidays, including breaks from news coverage and social media.
Local numbers
- Viral test results reported Tuesday: 332
- Average percentage of positive viral tests in the past week: 9.8%
- Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 35
- Total cases: 6,868 confirmed, according to DHEC
- Total deaths: 91 confirmed, according to DHEC
- Two-week incidence rate: 269.6 cases per 100,000 people, “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, has said counties should aim to have a two-week incidence rate of less than 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
Statewide numbers
- Percent of positive non-antibody tests reported Tuesday: 13.8%
- New cases announced Wednesday: 1,243
- Total cases: 197,652 confirmed
- New deaths announced Wednesday: 44
- Total deaths: 4,015 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 1,775 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,212 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 460 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 839 cases, according to DHEC data.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has reported 407 cases.
Coronavirus infections at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island are included 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.
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.
