2 elderly Beaufort Co. residents die from COVID-19, as 66 new cases reported Saturday
Two elderly Beaufort County residents died from COVID-19, and 66 new infections were logged in the county by state health officials on Saturday.
The two residents, both age 65 or older, died on Jan. 20, 2021, and Feb. 4, 2021, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. The agency says any delay in reporting a person’s death is due to the time it takes to verify whether the cause was in fact COVID-19.
In addition to the 66 new confirmed cases, the agency says there are two probable cases.
The area reported a surge of cases throughout December and January, mirroring other spots around South Carolina and the rest of the country. Hundreds of cases were recorded every 24 hours, shattering the previous single-day record on Jan. 8. Deaths also quickly mounted.
The seven-day average of new cases, though, has dropped in recent days. It was 72.7 as of Saturday. The average had hit roughly 113 on Jan. 14.
Vaccines are also slowly being distributed to local health care workers, seniors and residents and staff at long-term care facilities.
Vaccine data
Beaufort Memorial Hospital as of Friday had utilized 103% of 7,910 first Pfizer-BioNTech doses received. That’s because some Pfizer vials have contained six or even seven doses, but DHEC calculates utilization rates based on the assumption that each vial contains five doses, which was the original expectation late last year. The hospital has used 54% of 3,050 second doses.
Hilton Head Hospital had utilized 150% of 2,225 first doses, according to a chart provided by DHEC. The hospital also had used 74% of 1,225 second doses as of Friday.
Coastal Carolina Hospital as of Friday had used 118% of 2,805 first doses. The hospital had utilized 70% of 1,425 second doses.
Pfizer’s vaccine uses a recommended two-dose regimen. The second shot is scheduled three weeks after the first.
Local numbers
Viral test results reported Thursday (the most recent date for which data is available): 874
Average percentage of positive tests in the past week, as of Thursday: 12%
DHEC on Tuesday announced that it was changing the way it calculates the daily percentage of positive tests to be more easily compared with information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other entities.
“With the change, the public will notice a big drop in the number representing percent positive. That does not mean the level of spread in the community has decreased,” DHEC wrote in a Tuesday news release.
Officials said they plan to release more information clarifying how exactly the two formulas are different and why the percent positive has dropped so significantly due to the change.
For context, the daily statewide percent positive reported Monday was more than 20%.
Total cases: 13,141 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 150 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Thursday: 595.5 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 Thursday: 7.8%
New cases announced Saturday: 1,925
Total cases: 410,639 confirmed
New deaths announced Saturday: 52
Total deaths: 6,816 confirmed
Cases by ZIP code
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 continues to lead the county with 3,798 cases in the past year. Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code, meanwhile, has recorded 1,953 cases since last March, the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head Island’s 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 994 cases. The 29926 ZIP code on the north side has 1,759 cases, according to DHEC data.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has reported 1,017 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.
