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South Carolina Announces Four Additional Deaths Related to COVID-19, 158 New Cases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 31, 2020
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced four additional deaths related to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. This brings the state’s total number of deaths to 22.
Three patients were elderly individuals who also had underlying health conditions, and one patient was a middle-aged individual who did not have underlying health conditions. They were residents of Aiken, Calhoun, Marion, and York counties.
“Our hearts go out to the families and friends of these individuals, as well as to the medical professionals who helped care for them,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC medical consultant. “Their loss is a reminder that the risk of inaction on all of our parts is far too great. Social distancing and staying home have never been more critical in our fight against this pandemic.”
DHEC also is reporting 158 additional cases of COVID-19. As of today, the total number statewide is 1,083 cases in 42 counties*. The number of new cases by county are listed below.
- Abbeville County: 1 case
- Aiken County: 4 cases
- Anderson County: 8 cases
- Bamberg County: 2 cases
- Beaufort County: 17 cases
- Berkeley County: 1 case
- Calhoun County: 1 case
- Charleston County: 19 cases
- Clarendon County: 7 cases
- Dorchester County: 5 cases
- Fairfield County: 1 case
- Florence County: 4 cases
- Georgetown County: 2 cases
- Greenville County: 18 cases
- Greenwood County: 2 cases
- Horry County: 5 cases
- Kershaw County: 6 cases
- Lancaster County: 1 case
- Lexington County: 13 cases
- Oconee County: 1 case
- Orangeburg County: 1 case
- Pickens County: 1 case
- Richland County: 13 cases
- Spartanburg County: 7 cases
- Sumter County: 5 cases
- York County: 13 cases
Late last week, DHEC reported a backlog of specimens to be tested that had developed at DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory due to a nationwide shortage in the reagents (chemicals) required to perform testing. As of March 27, DHEC’s Laboratory has the necessary reagents, and the backlog has now been eliminated. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week, and it has returned to its regular timeframe of 24-48 hours after specimen arrival for providing testing results to health care providers.
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.
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.
*As new information is provided to the department, some changes in cases may occur. Cases are reported based on the individual’s county of residence, as it is provided to the department. DHEC’s COVID-19 map will adjust to reflect any reclassified cases.
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