FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 5, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. —  The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 132 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, including four additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 2,049, and those who have died to 44.

These additional deaths occurred in three individuals who were elderly. Two of the three elderly patients  were known to have underlying health conditions, and one is under investigation. One patient was a middle-aged individual who had underlying health conditions. The residents were from Clarendon, Horry, Beaufort and Lee counties.

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.

Testing in South Carolina
As of April 4, DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory has conducted 7,571 tests for COVID-19. Of these tests, 876 were positive and 6,695 were negative. A total of 18,930 tests by both DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory and private labs have been conducted in the state. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week. The Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.

Hospital Bed Capacity
As of April 4, 5,917 hospital beds are available and 6,283 are utilized, which is a 51.5 percent statewide hospital bed utilization rate. The overall trend this week has been in greater hospital bed availability, specifically a 6.8 percent decrease in hospital bed utilization since March 23.

How South Carolinians Can Protect Themselves
South Carolinians are encouraged to stay home and minimize contact with people outside their households to prevent the spread of the disease. Other steps the public should take include:

• Monitoring for symptoms
• Practicing social distancing
• Avoiding touching frequently touched items
• Regularly washing your hands

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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