165 coronavirus infections, no deaths confirmed in Beaufort County on Thursday
State health officials reported 165 new COVID-19 cases in Beaufort County on Thursday even though South Carolina’s coronavirus data is still being affected by an “internal systems issue” that has resulted in missing cases this week.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said it’s working to resolve the data problem with a vendor.
Statewide, more than 4,800 new infections were recorded Thursday despite the systems issue.
No new deaths were announced in Beaufort County.
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 last week, shattering the previous single-day record on Friday. Deaths are quickly mounting in comparison to last fall. And the county’s seven-day average of new cases hit a record 113.7 as of Thursday.
The Bluffton ZIP code of 29910 also surpassed 3,000 total confirmed cases reported since last March.
Coronavirus cases are rising across the entire Palmetto State, DHEC data show. And experts have warned S.C. residents to follow public health guidelines, fearing rapid transmission of the novel virus in poorly ventilated buildings.
Vaccine data
DHEC had not updated county-specific Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna data as of about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
Local numbers
Viral test results reported Tuesday (the most recent date for which data is available): 635
Average percentage of positive tests in the past week, as of Tuesday: 29.1%
Total cases: 10,709 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 117 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Tuesday: 757 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: 26.5%
New cases announced Thursday: 4,809
Total cases: 337,845 confirmed
New deaths announced Thursday: 18
Total deaths: 5,420 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 3,013 cases in the past year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,735 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 791 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 1,310 cases, according to DHEC data.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has reported 774 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.
