DHEC: 512 new cases of COVID, 7 more deaths

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) — According to press release from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, 512 new cases of coronavirus were announced Saturday with 7 additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 13,916 and those who have died to 545.

Six of the deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Horry (2), Florence (1), Lexington (1), Chesterfield (1), and Cherokee (1) counties, and one death occurred in a middle-aged individual from Greenwood County.

A database issue led to a delay in reporting testing numbers Friday, as was noted on DHEC’s COVID-19 website. In DHEC’s ongoing effort for the COVID-19 response, there has been a tremendous increase in data collection and requests for data-related products. DHEC continues to improve the way we receive and process data and monitor the data reported to us in order to report the data to the public as quickly and accurately as possible during this unprecedented pandemic.

As of June 5, a total of 241,088 tests have been conducted in the state (by both DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory and private labs). DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week. The Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.

As South Carolina increases testing, there will likely be more laboratory-confirmed cases. The total number of individuals tested yesterday statewide was 5,536 and the percent positive was 9.2%. When the percent positive is low, it may indicate that more widespread testing is being performed and the percent positive may more accurately reflect how much disease is present in the community.

Friday, there were 3,055 inpatient hospital beds available and 7,337 in use, a 70.60% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 7,337 inpatient beds used, 482 were 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