1 COVID-19 death, 72 new infections confirmed in Beaufort County Sunday
A COVID-19 death was confirmed in Beaufort County on Sunday.
A person described as elderly died on Friday after contracting the coronavirus, according to a news release from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. In total, 96 Beaufort County residents have died after getting COVID-19 since March.
Beaufort County also recorded 72 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday. The county has seen a sharp upward trajectory in average daily case counts since Thanksgiving, mirroring a statewide trend.
The county’s seven-day average of daily confirmed cases reached 76.9 on Saturday, a level not seen since early August. South Carolina saw 2,583 new cases statewide on Sunday, according to DHEC.
Beginning last week, Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine was distributed to some area hospital employees, but doses won’t be available to the general public until sometime in 2021.
Local nursing homes face logistical challenges, including “vaccine hesitancy” among staff, as they await vaccine distribution, The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette reported.
Local numbers
Viral test results reported Friday (most recent date that data is available): 339
Average percentage of positive viral tests in the past week, as of Friday: 21.9%
Seven-day average of new cases in Beaufort County: 72.7
Total cases: 8,383 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 96 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Friday: 529 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: 22.4%
New cases announced Saturday: 2,583
Total cases: 253,034 confirmed
New deaths announced Saturday: 36
Total deaths: 4,566 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 2,212 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,440 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 591 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 977 cases, according to DHEC data.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has reported 578 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 December 20, 2020 at 11:41 AM.
