FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 21, 2020

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 172 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, and 11 additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 4,608 and those who have died to 135.

The deaths occurred in elderly individuals from the following Counties: Beaufort (3), Berkeley (2), Charleston (2), Clarendon (1), Colleton (1), Greenville (1), and Spartanburg (1).

The number of new cases by county are listed below.
Abbeville (1), Aiken (1), Anderson (2), Beaufort (8), Berkeley (4), Charleston (12), Chesterfield (1), Clarendon (6), Darlington (8), Dillon (1), Dorchester (2), Edgefield (5), Fairfield (1), Florence (15), Greenville (17), Greenwood (3), Horry (3), Kershaw (2), Lexington (12), Marion (4), Newberry (2), Oconee (2), Orangeburg (5), Pickens (3), Richland (30), Spartanburg (5), Sumter (14), York (3). 

Of the 4,439 total cases announced yesterday, three have been determined upon collecting additional information to be residents of other states and have been assigned to those states.

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 20, DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory has conducted 12,392 tests for COVID-19. Of these tests, 1,521 positive and 10,871 were negative. A total of 42,441 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.

Hospital Bed Capacity
As of this morning, 4,869 hospital beds are available and 6,511 are utilized, which is a 57.2% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. 

Updated Recovery Rate
Based on the available symptom onset data we have for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, DHEC estimates that as of April 20, 72 percent of individuals have recovered from the illness and 28% remain ill. This estimate is updated on our website every Tuesday and Friday.

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 identify any disparities that need further investigation or focus. Today’s update also includes cases in healthcare facilities and in healthcare workers in our state.

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
Evidence is increasing about the high rates of infection in people who do not have symptoms and don’t know they are infectious. This places everyone at risk of getting the virus or unknowingly transmitting it to someone else. 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:

• Practicing social distancing
• Wearing a mask while out in public
• Avoiding touching frequently touched items
• Regularly washing your hands
• Monitoring for symptoms

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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