SC health officials report 761 new COVID-19 cases, announce new tracking tool for schools
South Carolina health officials announced Tuesday that 761 more people tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases up to 118,116.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials also reported that 37 people died after contracting the virus, pushing the death toll to 2,626.
Despite documenting fewer than 1,000 confirmed cases Tuesday, a statement from DHEC showed that the coronavirus is still spreading rapidly throughout the state. About 22.4% of tests reported Tuesday were positive, according to DHEC.
That number is similar to what health officials reported in June and July, when the state saw the largest spike in COVID-19 cases.
The World Health Organization suggests 5% should be the standard before countries consider reopening and Department of Health and Environmental Control state epidemiologist Linda Bell has cited the same percentage as a goal.
DHEC also announced that, starting Friday, the agency would release a twice-weekly report about students, faculty and staff at both public and private schools who test positive for the coronavirus.
The report will include students in kindergarten through twelfth grade who attend in-person classes regularly. It will also include coaches, tutors, part-time employees, kitchen staff, custodial workers and other school employees who are physically present in schools.
The report will be available online at scdhec.gov/COVID19schools and will be updated on Tuesdays and Fridays in the afternoon.
Which counties were affected?
Richland County led the state in new confirmed cases with 163. Nearby Lexington County saw 40 new confirmed cases.
Residents from the following counties died after contracting the virus: Aiken (1), Anderson (1), Barnwell (1), Beaufort (1), Berkeley (3), Charleston (1), Chesterfield (1), Clarendon (1), Dorchester (1), Fairfield (1), Florence (3), Greenville (3), Hampton (1), Horry (3), Lancaster (1), Lexington (3), Saluda (1), Spartanburg (7), Sumter (1) and Union (2).
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
The number of daily new cases reported in South Carolina hit a high of 2,343 on July 18. In the month since, totals have slowly dropped. Daily case counts dropped to under 1,000 for 13 consecutive days, before a spike again this past weekend.
State health officials have said that the virus’ progression has been slowing significantly in areas with face mask requirements and where residents are practicing social distancing.
However, the drop in case numbers can also be attributed in part to labs performing fewer tests, DHEC officials have said. In order to account for that possibility, officials have highlighted the importance of percentage of tests run that come back positive.
On Tuesday, 22.4% of tests reported were positive, a number that indicated high levels of virus spread within the community.
In May, at its lowest point, the percentage of positive tests fell between 2% and 4% on average, while it peaked in July at consistently upwards of 20%.
The percentage of COVID-19 tests with positive results has ticked down week over week since mid-July, but it is still above the 5% standard DHEC has said it would like to see.
Nationally, about 9.1% of tests turn up positive, according to the CDC.
In all, 1,018,379 tests have been completed in South Carolina since March.
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimate that around 86% of South Carolinians who contract the virus don’t get tested.
DHEC has also been recording probable cases and probable deaths. A probable case is someone who has not received a lab test results but has virus symptoms or a positive antibody test. A probable death is someone who has not gotten a lab test but whose death certificate lists COVID-19 as a cause of death or a contributing factor.
On Tuesday, state health officials reported 31 new probable cases and no new probable deaths. That brings the total number of probable cases up to 1,730 and total probable deaths to 131.
DHEC officials have said the slow down in testing over the past several weeks could mean that more people with the coronavirus have gone untested and undiagnosed.
How are hospitals being impacted?
As of Tuesday, the state reported 894 patients in South Carolina hospitals have coronavirus, including 232 patients in intensive care and 141 patients on ventilators.
In all, 77.54% of in-patient beds are occupied in S.C. hospitals, including 72.39% of beds in intensive care units.
The number of coronavirus patients hospitalized at one time peaked at more than 1,700 on July 23, and the daily numbers have declined since.
This story was originally published September 1, 2020 at 4:02 PM with the headline "SC health officials report 761 new COVID-19 cases, announce new tracking tool for schools."
