COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) on Thursday announced two additional deaths related to the COVID-19 coronavirus. This brings the state’s total number of deaths to nine.
One patient was an elderly person from Kershaw County who had underlying health conditions. The second patient was an elderly person from Sumter County who also had underlying health conditions.
“This unfortunate announcement is a reminder of the importance of taking actions to protect ourselves, our family and friends, and our community from this disease,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC physician consultant.
DHEC says it also is investigating 32 additional cases of COVID-19. This brings the total number statewide to 456 cases in 39 counties.
The fluctuation in the number of new cases from day to day reflects the availability of the reagents, or chemicals, needed for laboratories to perform the testing. There is currently a shortage of these reagents nationwide, including in South Carolina, which can lead to delays in test results.
The number of new cases by county are listed below.
- Abbeville County: 1 case
- Aiken County: 2 cases
- Anderson County: 2 cases
- Beaufort County: 3 cases
- Berkeley County: 3 cases
- Charleston County: 8 cases
- Fairfield County: 1 case
- Georgetown County: 1 case
- Greenville County: 1 case
- Horry County: 1 case
- Jasper County: 1 case
- Kershaw County: 1 case
- Lancaster County: 1 case
- Lexington County: 2 cases
- Orangeburg County: 2 cases
- Richland County: 1 case
- York County: 1 case
DHEC’s COVID-19 webpage is updated daily with a map of positive cases as well as the most current recommendations for protecting against COVID-19.
“This is a serious time that calls for serious actions,” said Dr. Traxler. “Our chance of reaching the best outcome hinges on us all doing our part. We can’t express strongly enough the importance of all of us practicing social distancing, staying home and away from other people when sick, and washing our hands often.”
Individuals with signs of illness should stay at home and not attend public gatherings. All South Carolinians are encouraged to monitor for symptoms, practice social distancing, avoid touching frequently touched items, and regularly wash their hands, especially after being in a public place.
Anyone with concerns about their health should reach out to their healthcare provider or use the telehealth services provided by several health care systems. For telehealth options and the latest information about DHEC’s COVID-19 response efforts, please visit scdhec.gov/COVID-19. Visit scdmh.net for stress, anxiety and mental health resources from the S.C. Department of Mental Health.