COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina saw over two dozen new deaths and a record for the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 on the same day the governor announced a new measure meant to stop the spread of the virus.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Friday announced 1,725 new confirmed cases and 26 additional confirmed deaths.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 52,273, probable cases to 146, confirmed deaths to 922 and 7 probable deaths.
There are currently 1,438 hospital beds occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19, a slight increase from the day before and a new record. Of those pateints, 177 are on ventilators.
Hours before the numbers were announced, Gov. Henry McMaster put out an executive order banning bars and restaurants from serving alcohol after 11 p.m. That's because he said young people are the primary ones that make up many of the new cases and who are spreading the disease.
Twenty-three of the deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Anderson (3), Bamberg (1), Charleston (1), Cherokee (1), Dorchester (2), Florence (2), Greenville (1), Horry (2), Laurens (1), Lexington (1), Orangeburg (1), Pickens (1), Richland (3), Spartanburg (1), and Sumter (2) counties, and three of the deaths occurred in middle-aged individuals from Berkeley (1), Greenville (1), and Richland (1) counties.
The number of new confirmed cases by county are listed below.
Abbeville (3), Aiken (22), Allendale (2), Anderson (31), Bamberg (2), Barnwell (8), Beaufort (93), Berkeley (98), Calhoun (22), Charleston (265), Cherokee (9), Chester (14), Chesterfield (9), Clarendon (2), Colleton (9), Darlington (11), Dillon (7), Dorchester (66), Edgefield (2), Fairfield (4), Florence (35), Georgetown (6), Greenville (217), Greenwood (28), Horry (175), Jasper (25), Kershaw (10), Lancaster (20), Laurens (25), Lee (8), Lexington (72), Marion (4), McCormick (4), Newberry (22), Oconee (37), Orangeburg (37), Pickens (42), Richland (101), Saluda (5), Spartanburg (79), Sumter (8), Union (6), Williamsburg (4), York (76)
Graphic: Total coronavirus cases since March. The dotted line shows the trend line.
Testing in South Carolina
As of Thursday, a total of 520,176 tests have been conducted in the state. See a detailed breakdown of tests in South Carolina on the Data and Projections webpage. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week, and the Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours, although a recent increase in testing may lead to a delay of one to two days.
Percent Positive Test Trends among Reported COVID-19 Cases
The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC Thursday statewide was 9,686 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive of those tests was 17.8%.
Recovery Rate
As of July 9, 89 percent of South Carolina patients confirmed to have had COVID-19 are estimated to have recovered from the disease. The state’s recovery rate is updated online twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Hospital Bed Occupancy
As of Friday morning, 2,598 inpatient hospital beds are available and 8,099 are in use, which is a 75.71% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 8,099 inpatient beds currently used, 1,438 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.
The following graphic shows the number of hospital beds in use for COVID-related cases statewide since June 1. The dotted line shows the trend line.
More than 80 Mobile Testing Clinics Scheduled Statewide
As part of our ongoing efforts to increase testing in underserved and rural communities across the state, DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics that bring testing to these communities. Currently, there are 84 mobile testing events scheduled through August 1 with new testing events added regularly. Find a mobile testing clinic event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics.
Residents can also get tested at one of 172 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Visit scdhec.gov/covid19testing for more information.
How South Carolinians Can Stop the Spread
Evidence is increasing about the high rates of infection in people who do not have symptoms and don’t know they are infectious. This places everyone at risk of getting the virus or unknowingly transmitting it to someone else. Steps we can take to protect ourselves and others include: