FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 29, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 1,250 new confirmed cases and 34 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 42 additional confirmed deaths and 3 new probable deaths.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 115,661, probable cases to 1,588, confirmed deaths to 2,563, and 135 probable deaths.

Confirmed and probable cases: please click here.
Confirmed and probable deaths: please click here.

More Than 460 Testing Opportunities Available Statewide
Testing for COVID-19 is essential because it helps identify people who are infected with the virus, whether or not they have symptoms, so they can isolate themselves and keep those around them from becoming infected, especially at-risk individuals who can develop life-threatening illness if they contract the virus. Identifying those with COVID-19 who have symptoms helps ensure they receive the medical treatment they need.

DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics and make testing available in communities across the state. Currently, there are 238 mobile testing events scheduled through October 17 and there are 223 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Find a testing clinic or event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19testing.

Testing in South Carolina
As of yesterday, a total of 999,070 tests have been conducted in the state. See a detailed breakdown of tests in South Carolina on the Data and Projections webpage. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week, and the Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.

Percent Positive
The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 6,087 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 20.5%.

DHEC Improves Online Reporting of COVID-19 Data
On Aug. 11, DHEC unveiled a new county-level online resource that provides detailed county-level data and a localized look at the impacts of COVID-19 in South Carolina. Because the county-level dashboard consolidates so many different data sets into one online resource, in order to avoid confusion and reduce the production of duplicated information, yesterday the agency began referring the public to the county-level dashboard for data sets such as cases by ZIP code, percent positive statewide and for each county, demographic data, and chronic health conditions information. 

No data or information that had previously been provided is being taken away or reduced. The same information – and more – is available on the county-level dashboard. 

Hospital Bed Occupancy
Hospitals report their information each day to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by way of TeleTracking, and that same reporting is also provided to DHEC. Click here to view data from today's TeleTracking report.

COVID-19 Information
For the latest information related to COVID-19 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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