FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 14, 2020

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 115 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, and 10 additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 3,553 and those who have died to 97.

Of those 10 deaths, eight were elderly individuals with underlying health conditions from Aiken (1), Berkeley (2), Clarendon (2), Lancaster (1), Lexington (2) counties; one was an elderly individual, with the presence of underlying conditions still under investigation, from Richland County (1); and one was a middle-aged individual with underlying health conditions from Horry County (1).

The number of new cases by county are listed below.
Aiken (9), Anderson (2), Beaufort (4), Berkeley (8), Charleston (2), Chesterfield (4), Clarendon (3), Colleton (1), Darlington (1), Fairfield (1), Florence (3), Georgetown (2), Greenville (27), Hampton (2), Horry (4), Jasper (2), Kershaw (6), Lancaster (1), Lee (2), Lexington (2), Marion (2), McCormick (1), Newberry (2), Orangeburg (1), Pickens (3), Richland (11), Spartanburg (2), Sumter (4), Williamsburg (1), York (2).

Edgefield County lost one positive case from its total count as an individual was determined during case investigations to be a resident of another county.

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 13, DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory has conducted 10,678 tests for COVID-19. Of these tests, 1,258 positive and 9,420 were negative. A total of 33,872 total 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.

Updated Demographic Data
Today’s web update includes updated demographic data for positive cases and deaths related to COVID-19. Monitoring demographic information can help direct information and resources to high-risk populations and help identify any disparities that deserve further investigation or focus.

Hospital Bed Capacity
As of this morning, 5,545 hospital beds are available and 6,095 are utilized, which is a 52.4% statewide hospital bed utilization rate.

Cases by County and ZIP Code
DHEC’s interactive maps were updated to include the latest confirmed and estimated COVID-19 cases by county and ZIP code. The estimated cases represent possible cases based on evidence that for every known case of COVID-19, there could be up to 9 people with the virus who remain unidentified in the community. By including estimates, we hope to better convey the risk of disease spread within our communities.

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 person’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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