1 probable COVID-19 death, 80 initial vaccinations reported in Beaufort Co. Thursday
A probable COVID-19 death was announced in Beaufort County on Thursday, as 80 new initial vaccine doses were also reportedly administered.
A person described as elderly was listed as the Dec. 18 probable death, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
State health officials also recorded 74 new coronavirus cases in the county Wednesday.
The Lowcountry has reported a surge of cases throughout December and the beginning of January, mirroring other spots around South Carolina and the rest of the country.
The local outbreak is now at its worst point since March. Hundreds of cases were recorded over a two-day period last week, shattering records. Deaths are quickly mounting, in comparison to last fall. And the county’s seven-day average of new cases reached a peak of roughly 103 as of Wednesday. It dropped to 94.7 on Thursday.
The average percentage of positive viral tests in the past week, as of Tuesday, was also high: 27.6%
The World Health Organization has suggested that governments reopen only after that percent positive is at or below 5% for at least two weeks.
Coronavirus cases are rising across the entire Palmetto State, DHEC data show. And experts have warned S.C. residents to follow public health guidelines in recent weeks, fearing rapid transmission of the novel virus in poorly ventilated buildings.
Vaccine data
Beaufort Memorial Hospital as of Thursday had reported 80 new initial inoculations with Pfizer and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine, according to DHEC data.
The hospital, which had received 2,450 first Pfizer doses, had administered 39% of those shots as of Thursday, data show.
There is a lag in when vaccine data is published by DHEC. Vaccine providers have up to 72 hours to enter the information into a federal system.
Hilton Head did not report any new vaccinations Thursday. The Hilton Head medical center, though, had already administered all of its initial shots. It has since received 305 second doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for those who got the first injection in recent weeks.
Coastal Carolina Hospital as of Thursday had also used all of its first Pfizer doses. It had administered 30 of 185 second doses, according to DHEC.
Gov. Henry McMaster on Tuesday criticized the state’s rollout of vaccines, saying it was too slow. He said South Carolina would set a “hard deadline” of Jan. 15 to complete Phase 1a vaccinations or sign ups. DHEC confirmed that timeline in a statement later Tuesday.
Local numbers
Viral test results reported Tuesday (the most recent date for which data is available): 201
Average percentage of positive viral tests in the past week, as of Tuesday: 27.6%
Total cases: 9,908 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 108 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Tuesday: 636 cases per 100,000 people, a “high” rate under DHEC’s definition. 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 previously said counties should aim to have a two-week incidence rate of less than 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
Statewide numbers
Percentage of positive non-antibody tests reported Tuesday: 34.2%
New cases announced Thursday: 3,935
Total cases: 310,246 confirmed
New deaths announced Thursday: 51
Total deaths: 5,189 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 2,700 cases this year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,608 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 745 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 1,192 cases, according to DHEC data.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has reported 712 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.
