2 new COVID-19 deaths, 13 cases reported in Beaufort Co. Thursday. Here’s what we know
Two new coronavirus deaths were recorded in Beaufort County on Thursday.
State health officials described both people as 65 or older. They died on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
The number of newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths has dropped in recent weeks as vaccinations continue around the Lowcountry, but the pathogen is still spreading.
Jasper County recorded zero cases and no deaths Thursday.
Another 349 Beaufort County residents, meanwhile, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, officials announced Thursday.
The county’s seven-day average of new first-dose inoculations has plummeted in recent weeks as the demand for shots begins to evaporate.
About 49.6% of county residents who are 15 or older have received a shot, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Local numbers
COVID-19 inoculation rate for fully vaccinated Beaufort County residents as of Tuesday (the most recent date for which data are available): 3,779 vaccine recipients per 10,000 residents. That’s the seventh-highest rate in South Carolina.
Seven-day average of new first-dose vaccinations: 243 per day
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 77,596
Total number of doses administered: 112,310
New first-dose vaccinations announced Thursday: 349
Percentage of the county’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 49.6%
Statewide numbers
New first-dose vaccinations announced Thursday: 9,432
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 1,748,360
Percentage of the state’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 42.5%
Percentage of S.C. residents 15 and up who have completed vaccination: 32.8%
ZIP code data
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 leads the county with 18,672 vaccinations since late last year. Hilton Head Island’s 29926 ZIP code, covering the north end, has 13,110 vaccinations, which is the second-highest figure in the county. The 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 10,319 vaccinations, according to DHEC.
Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has recorded 12,961 resident inoculations.
Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code has reported 5,423 inoculations, though DHEC’s data do not include federally administered vaccines for military members north of the Broad River.
DHEC releases most of its coronavirus vaccine data based on residency. If a Beaufort County resident is vaccinated out of state or in a different S.C. county, they would still be counted in DHEC’s Beaufort County-specific ZIP code data.
More information on ZIP code-level vaccine data can be found at the following link online: http://bit.ly/BeaufortCountyVaccines
Virus spread in Beaufort County
Seven-day average of new cases: roughly eight per day
Total cases: 14,871 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 194 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Tuesday: 57.3 cases per 100,000 people, a “moderate” 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 in Charleston, has previously said counties should aim to have a two-week incidence rate of less than 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we covered this story
Facts about COVID-19 vaccine distribution in South Carolina are changing rapidly. The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette are trying to publish important information as quickly and accurately as possible. This story may be updated if more information becomes available or if facts become clearer.
