FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 9, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 1,011 new confirmed cases and 7 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 18 additional confirmed deaths and 7 new probable deaths.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 99,713, probable cases to 722, confirmed deaths to 1,949, and 82 probable deaths.

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

Testing in South Carolina
As of yesterday, a total of 843,241 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 7,853 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 12.9%.

More Than 125 Mobile Testing Clinics Scheduled Statewide
As part of our ongoing efforts to increase testing in underserved and rural communities across the state, DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics that bring testing to these communities. Currently, there are 126 mobile testing events scheduled through September 29 with new testing events added regularly. Find a mobile testing clinic event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics.

Residents can visit scdhec.gov/covid19testing for information about getting tested at one of 223 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state.

Hospital Bed Occupancy
As of this morning, 2,269 inpatient beds are available and 8,157 are in use, which is a 78.24% statewide inpatient bed utilization rate. Of the 8,157 inpatient beds currently used, 1,378 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19. Of the 1,585 ventilators, 547 are in use and 219 of those are COVID-19 patients.

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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