Long-term care facilities in South Carolina have seen 38% of coronavirus deaths in state

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — For months, coronavirus cases and deaths in long-term care facilities like nursing homes ruled the headlines.

Thousands of residents tested positive, many died and families were separated from their loves ones in order to stop the spread.

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) officials even started rounds and rounds of testing at these facilities to help contain the spread.

However, DHEC data shows long-term care facilities in South Carolina are still facing issues with positive COVID-19 cases and with deaths related to the disease.

In the last 30 days, from July 11 through Aug. 10, DHEC reported 1,152 positive cases in residents, 674 positive cases in staff, 226 resident deaths and 4 staff deaths.

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From April 3 through Aug. 10, a total of 807 residents at long-term care facilities in South Carolina have died from coronavirus. In that same period, 14 staff members at those facilities have died.

Total COVID-19 cases for residents through Aug. 10 are 3,839. For staff, the number of positive cases is 2,104.

In South Carolina as a whole, as of Aug. 12, there have been 102,143 confirmed cases, 831 probable cases. There have been 2,057 confirmed deaths and 87 probable deaths.

That means, more than 38% of the deaths and 5.6% of the cases have been in South Carolina were in long-term care facilities.

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In the United States, at least 62,000 residents and workers have died from the coronavirus at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities for older adults , according to a New York Times database reported on July 30.

Because the spread is still happening in these facilities, South Carolina health officials are still encouraging testing of residents and staff, no visitors inside the facilities and separating residents into groups of those who have tested negative, those who are positive and those who are being monitored.

Gov. Henry McMaster has not said again when visitation could start again in nursing homes after he suggested to DHEC on June 26 to start crafting a policy to allow it. He paused that plan on July 2 after case counts increased across the state.