FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 20, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 666 new confirmed cases and 66 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 25 additional confirmed deaths and 10 new probable deaths.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 158,747, probable cases to 6,746, confirmed deaths to 3,475, and 221 probable deaths.

Confirmed and probable cases: please click here.
Confirmed and probable deaths: please click here.

Who Should Get Tested?
If you are out and about in the community, around others, or not able to socially distance or wear a mask, we recommend that you get tested at least once a month.
Routine testing allows public health workers to diagnose those who are asymptomatic and interrupt the ongoing spread of the virus. Learn more about who should get tested here.

448 Testing Opportunities Available Statewide
Testing for COVID-19 is essential because it helps identify people who are infected with the virus, whether they have symptoms or not.

DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics and make testing available in communities across the state. Currently, there are 135 mobile testing events scheduled through December 23 and there are 313 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Find a testing clinic or event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19testing.

Testing in South Carolina
As of yesterday, a total of 1,780,885 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
The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 4,952 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 13.4%.

Hospital Bed Occupancy
Yesterday, Oct. 19, the federal TeleTracking system that hospitals use for reporting daily census and other information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services implemented several reporting changes. Hospitals are working to adjust to these federal updates, resulting in incomplete and incorrect hospital reporting for today, Oct. 20. DHEC will resume providing the Hospital Bed Occupancy information when hospitals in South Carolina (and in other states) resolve issues with the TeleTracking changes, which is anticipated to be tomorrow, Oct. 21.

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