FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 2, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. —  Today, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 785 new confirmed cases and 17 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 10 additional confirmed deaths, and no new probable deaths.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 170,048 probable cases to 8,869, confirmed deaths to 3,697 and 249 probable deaths.

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

There has been a 16 percent increase in October testing from September testing, an increase of 34,240 tests. While this is a positive step in the right direction, continued additional testing is needed.

Who Should Get Tested?
If you are out and about in the community, around others, or not able to socially distance or wear a mask, we recommend that you get tested at least once a month.

Routine testing allows public health workers to diagnose those who are asymptomatic and interrupt the ongoing spread of the virus. Learn more about who should get tested here.

More than 400 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.

DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics and make testing available in communities across the state. Currently, there are 75 mobile testing events scheduled through December 23 and there are 350 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Find a testing clinic or event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19testing.

All DHEC-sponsored and DHEC-operated COVID-19 testing currently uses the shallow, anterior nares collection procedure. This is a shallow, pain-free specimen collection, compared to the deep nasopharyngeal procedure. The shallow nasal test provided by DHEC is not self-administered; the specimen is collected by trained staff.

Testing in South Carolina
As of yesterday, a total of 2,036,465 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 6,655 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 11.8%.

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.