FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 9, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. —  Today, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 874 new confirmed cases and 74 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 14 additional confirmed deaths and 2 new probable deaths.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 150,033, probable cases to 5,643, confirmed deaths to 3,325, and 205 probable deaths.

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

Today, DHEC provided new guidelines for outdoor and indoor visitation at nursing homes and community residential care facilities, commonly referred to as assisted living facilities. These guidelines are also recommended for intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The guidelines for both indoor and outdoor visitation are based on the most recent CMS guidance for reopening nursing homes, as well as CDC guidance for COVID-19 in nursing homes. The visitation status of all nursing homes and community residential care facilities in the state will begin to be provided in a new weekly report which will be available online for the first time on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

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.

412 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 114 mobile testing events scheduled through November 30 and there are 298 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 1,591,017 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 7,665 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 11.4%.

Hospital Bed Occupancy
Hospitals report their information each day to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by way of TeleTracking, and that same reporting is also provided to DHEC. Click here to view data from today's TeleTracking report.