1,538 new cases, 49 more deaths

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 1,538 new confirmed cases and five new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 49 additional confirmed deaths and no new probable deaths. Among the 49 confirmed deaths are three Anderson County residents. Among the confirmed new cases are 30 new Oconee County cases.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 76,315, probable cases to 291, confirmed deaths to 1,294, and 40 probable deaths.

Two additional cases are reported of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19. Both are children age 10 or under from the Upstate region. This brings the total number of MIS-C cases in South Carolina to four.
Testing in South Carolina

As of yesterday, a total of 669,445 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.

Percent Positive Test Trends among Reported COVID-19 Cases
The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 7,360 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 20.9%.

More than 65 Mobile Testing Clinics Scheduled Statewide
As part of 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 67 mobile testing events scheduled through August 15 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 182 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Visit scdhec.gov/covid19testing for more information.

Based on today’s TeleTracking report, as of yesterday:

4,425* total hospital beds are available and 7,998* are in use; a 64.38%* statewide total hospital bed utilization rate
Of the 7,998* total beds currently used, 1,723* are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19
Of 1,458* ventilators, 532* are in use and 241* of those are COVID-19 patients