FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 25, 2020

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. —  The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 180 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, and 9 additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 5,253 and those who have died to 166. One previously reported death of an individual from Florence County has been confirmed and added back into the state’s total number of deaths*.

The deaths occurred in eight elderly individuals from Berkeley (2), Colleton (1), Florence (2*), Greenville (1), Orangeburg (1), Richland (1), and one middle-aged individual from Lee county (1).

The number of new cases by county are listed below.
Aiken (2), Barnwell (3), Beaufort (9), Berkeley (19), Charleston (8), Cherokee (1), Chesterfield (4), Clarendon (9), Colleton (2), Darlington (4), Dillon (1), Dorchester (2), Edgefield (1), Fairfield (1), Florence (16), Georgetown (2), Greenville (6), Greenwood (2), Horry (3), Kershaw (4), Lancaster (5), Lee (3), Lexington (18), Marion (5), Marlboro (3), Orangeburg (3), Richland (20), Saluda (5), Spartanburg (5), Sumter (3), Williamsburg (7), York (4)

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.

At-risk Community Outreach and Engagement Efforts
To ensure all South Carolinians receive the most current information about protecting themselves, their loved ones, and their communities from COVID-19, DHEC continues to provide educational materials that are also available online at scdhec.gov/COVID19. Through TV and radio public service announcements; community telebriefings; local partnerships with faith-based groups; billboards and advertisements; social media; and coordination with the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs, Department of Aging, Office of Rural Health, and others; DHEC remains committed to ensuring all South Carolinians, especially those at higher risk for severe complications, have the latest information available.

Testing in South Carolina
As of April 25, DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory has conducted 13,739 tests for COVID-19. Of these tests, 1,766 positive and 11,973 were negative. A total of 49,014 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, 4,984 hospital beds are available and 6,410 are utilized, which is a 56.3% 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
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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