FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 13, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 133 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 7 additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 8,030 and those who have died to 362.

Five of those deaths occurred in elderly individuals in Clarendon (2), Florence (1), Lexington (1), and Richland (1) counties, and two of the deaths occurred in a middle-aged individual in Greenville (1) and Marion (1) counties.

The number of new cases by county are listed below.
Allendale (4), Aiken (9), Anderson (2), Barnwell (1), Beaufort (2), Berkeley (1), Charleston (3), Chesterfield (4), Colleton (1), Darlington (1), Dillon (3), Edgefield (2), Fairfield (1), Florence (8), Greenville (16), Greenwood (4), Horry (4), Kershaw (3), Lancaster (1), Laurens (1), Lee (3), Lexington (15), Marlboro (2), Orangeburg (1), Pickens (3), Richland (21), Saluda (1), Spartanburg (3), Sumter (2), Williamsburg (3), York (8)

DHEC and Partners Announce 13 Free Mobile Testing Clinics
DHEC is working with key community partners to provide COVID-19 testing across the state as part of the agency’s expansive statewide testing strategy. Yesterday, the agency announced 13 free mobile testing clinics at various locations around the state.

As part of this effort, DHEC has partnered with Kroger Health to host seven days of testing at the S.C. State Fairgrounds (1200 Rosewood Dr., Columbia). The testing events are 10 a.m-4 p.m. May 15, May 16, May 18, May 22, May 23, May 29 and May 30. These Kroger Health partner events are by appointment only. Individuals must schedule an appointment via Kroger Health’s online portal at www.thelittleclinic.com/drivethru-testing in order to receive a test.

To find a mobile testing clinic near you, visit DHEC’s mobile testing clinic webpage. We update this page regularly as new testing clinics are confirmed.

DHEC and the Department of Mental Health
In recognition of Mental Health Month, DHEC and Department of Mental Health (DMH) encourage South Carolinians to find the balance that works for them. To help increase awareness of mental health and coping with stress, DHEC and DMH have partnered to produce a public service announcement (PSA) that’s available here. A Spanish translation version of the PSA is available here.

DMH has made resources on managing anxiety and stress available on its webpage, www.scdmh.net. Its community mental health centers statewide are open and accepting new patients – no referral is needed. To find the center closest to you, visit www.scdmh.net. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call DMH’s statewide Community Crisis Response and Intervention 24-hours a day, toll-free, at (833) DMH-CCRI (833-364-2274).

How South Carolinians Can Protect Themselves
South Carolinians are encouraged to continue to practice daily prevention methods for protecting against spread of the disease. This includes staying home if sick and minimizing contact with people outside their households. 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 a 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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