Beaufort County nears 7,000 coronavirus cases with 53 new infections Saturday: DHEC
Health officials reported 53 new coronavirus cases in Beaufort County on Saturday as the county nears 7,000 total positive cases.
There were no new COVID-19 deaths reported, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The data brings Beaufort County to 6,964 positive confirmed cases as of Saturday.
As a whole, the state of South Carolina reported 1,797 new cases. That is the highest number of new cases since July. There were no new deaths in the state.
State health officials warned against gathering on Thanksgiving because of the rapid transmission of the virus.
With the holiday over, experts are cautioning that there will be a false decline in cases in the next few days because many laboratories and doctor’s offices are closed going into Thanksgiving weekend.
Once they get through the holiday backlog, the data will catch up to the virus. It remains to be seen what impact gatherings on Thanksgiving in South Carolina will have on new infections.
Meanwhile, 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.
Local numbers
- Viral test results reported Thursday (Most recent to date): 499
- Average percentage of positive viral tests in the past week: 9.3%
- Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 37
- Total cases: 6,964 confirmed, according to DHEC
- Total deaths: 91 confirmed, according to DHEC
- Two-week incidence rate: 298.8 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 Saturday: 12.9%
- New cases announced Saturday: 1,797
- Total cases: 201,354 confirmed
- New deaths announced Saturday: 0
- Total deaths: 4,043 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 1,803 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,219 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 476 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 854 cases, according to DHEC data.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has reported 424 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.
This story was originally published November 28, 2020 at 12:50 PM.
