FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 5, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 447 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 13 additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 13,453 and those who have died to 538.

Eleven deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Clarendon (1), Greenville (1), Horry (1), Orangeburg (1), Richland (1), and Spartanburg (6) counties, and two deaths occurred in middle-aged individuals from Charleston (1) and Cherokee (1) counties.

The number of new cases by county are listed below.
Aiken (1), Anderson (4), Bamberg (3), Barnwell (2), Beaufort (11), Berkeley (3), Calhoun (1), Charleston (28), Chester (3), Chesterfield (15), Clarendon (3), Colleton (6), Darlington (3), Dillon (3), Dorchester (14), Edgefield (1), Fairfield (9), Florence (16), Georgetown (3), Greenville (77), Greenwood (1), Jasper (2), Horry (30), Kershaw (17), Lancaster (7), Laurens (1), Lee (2), Lexington (43), Marlboro (9), Newberry (4), Oconee (1), Orangeburg (15), Pickens (6), Richland (56), Saluda (2), Spartanburg (15), Sumter (11), Williamsburg (6), York (13) 

More than 120 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 125 mobile testing events scheduled through July 2 with new testing events added regularly. Find a mobile testing clinic event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics.

There also are 168 permanent testing locations at health care facilities throughout the state. These testing sites can be found at scdhec.gov/covid19testing.

Hospital Bed Occupancy
As of this morning, 3,055 inpatient hospital beds are available and 7,337 are in use, which is a 70.60% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 7,337 inpatient beds currently used, 482 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.

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. Steps we can take to protect ourselves and others include:

• Practicing social distancing
• Wearing a mask in public
• Avoiding group gatherings
• Regularly washing your hands
• Staying home if sick

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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