COLUMBIA, S.C. — Since July 18, new cases of COVID-19 in South Carolina have been on a downward trend.
There were over 2,300 new cases reported on July 18. On August 11, there were 712 confirmed new cases.
"I really do believe, based on all the metrics, that this drop really was driven by the population changing their behaviors. I think people should feel very good about that, not just because they did the right thing and followed the recommendations, but because it’s evidence to us that they work," Dr. Michael Sweat, director of the Center for Global Health at the Medical University of South Carolina says.
He says masks and social distancing are the reasons for the recent decline in cases. "I can guarantee everybody, that as soon as you stop doing those things, it’s going to go right back up."
Dr. Sweat tracks COVID-19 in the Charleston area, but said the trends there are very similar to what’s happening statewide. The number of new coronavirus cases peaked on July 5 in his area and started declining after that.
"About a month away from that peak," the doctor said, "it’s been almost cut in half, the number of new cases per day we’re getting. And the trend is important – it’s not just day to day – you have to really look at the trend."
Dr. Sweat said he has noticed a decline in people getting tested, but hospitalization rates show that the rate of infection is slowing.
"The vast majority of people that have serious symptoms, they’re going to go and get tested. And the other major indicator we have is how many people we have in the hospital. That’s a very hard indicator and that has gone way down. We were on the edge at MUSC, we almost ran out of ICU space at one point and now we’re not. And its not just our hospital – really all across the state, that’s been the case."
Dr. Sweat said things are finally going in the right direction, but South Carolina has a long way to go.