Beaufort Co. reports 91 new COVID cases as Parris Island recruits quarantine in Florida
State health officials announced 91 new COVID-19 cases in Beaufort County on Friday. Thirteen probable infections were recorded, as well.
No new deaths were announced Friday in Beaufort or Jasper counties, which recorded a combined six deaths Thursday.
The new numbers come as the Marine Corps confirmed that its recruits are now quarantining in a Jacksonville, Fla., hotel before they ship off to Parris Island for training.
Since July, recruits have quarantined in Atlanta hotels as part of the effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 on base and in the community; the last recruits to quarantine in Atlanta arrived at Parris Island Wednesday.
In Florida, as in Georgia, recruits will receive medical checks twice a day and remain isolated for 14 days before they travel to South Carolina to begin the 12-week bootcamp required to become a Marine. Graduation ceremonies remain closed to the public.
Beaufort County has reported a surge of cases throughout December and January, mirroring other spots around South Carolina and the rest of the country.
The local outbreak has recently been at its worst point since March. Hundreds of cases were recorded earlier this month, shattering the previous single-day record on Jan. 8. Deaths are still quickly mounting in comparison to last fall. The county’s seven-day average of new cases was 111.1 as of Friday.
Hospitalizations, though, remained steady in the local area last week, despite a surge of admissions elsewhere in the state.
Vaccines are also slowly being distributed to local health care workers, seniors and residents and staff at long-term care facilities.
Vaccine data
DHEC’s daily Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna data were not updated as of about 2 p.m. Friday.
Local numbers
Viral test results reported Wednesday (the most recent date for which data is available): 416
Average percentage of positive tests in the past week, as of Wednesday: 22.4%
Total cases: 11,708 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 125 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Wednesday: 805 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 Friday: 28.4%
New cases announced Friday: 3,528
Total cases: 369,782 confirmed
New deaths announced Friday: 23
Total deaths: 5,791 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 3,358 cases in the past year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,821 cases since March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 858 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 1,496 cases, according to DHEC data.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has reported 871 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.