24 new COVID-19 deaths in South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Wednesday  announced 1,497 new confirmed cases and 6 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 24 additional confirmed deaths and 4 new probable deaths. There are currently 1,160 hospital beds occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 37,809, probable cases to 110, confirmed deaths to 759, and 7 probable deaths.

Eighteen of the deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Charleston (5), Dillon (1), Fairfield (1), Florence (2), Greenville (1), Horry (1), Lancaster (1), Laurens (1), Lexington (1), Orangeburg (3), and Spartanburg (1) counties, and five of the deaths occurred in middle-aged individuals from Richland (1), Laurens (1), Berkeley (1), Horry (1), and Charleston (1) counties, and one death occurred in a young adult from Charleston County (1).

The probable deaths occurred in individuals whose age categories are still being determined from Calhoun (1), Cherokee (1), Greenville (1), and Horry (1) counties.

The number of new confirmed cases by county are listed below.
Abbeville (2), Aiken (20), Allendale (2), Anderson (27), Bamberg (5), Barnwell (4), Beaufort (61), Berkeley (87), Calhoun (11), Charleston (266), Cherokee (4), Chester (4), Chesterfield (8), Clarendon (5), Colleton (4), Darlington (7), Dillon (3), Dorchester (71), Edgefield (5), Fairfield (4), Florence (31), Georgetown (32), Greenville (107), Greenwood (12), Horry (228), Jasper (6), Kershaw (26), Lancaster (19), Laurens (17), Lee (4), Lexington (83), Marion (5), Marlboro (5), Newberry (12), Oconee (11), Orangeburg (28), Pickens (20), Richland (104), Saluda (6), Spartanburg (54), Sumter (22), Union (1), Williamsburg (12), York (52)

The number of new probable cases by county are listed below.
Calhoun (1), Cherokee (1), Greenville (1), Horry (1), Kershaw (2)

Testing in South Carolina
By Wednesday, a total of 429,692 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 individuals tested Tuesday statewide was 7,834 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 19.1%.

More than 45 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 49 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.

Hospital Bed Occupancy
By Wednesday morning, 2,801 inpatient hospital beds are available and 7,815 are in use, which is a 73.62% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 7,815 inpatient beds currently used, 1,160 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.

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:

Practicing social distancing
Wearing a mask in public
Avoiding group gatherings
Regularly washing your hands
Staying home if sick