MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — News13 obtained the top 10 questions that were Googled the most in South Carolina regarding the coronavirus from a Google data analyst.
Below is a list of answers to the Top 10 questions that were Googled by South Carolinians over the past 30 days (approximately March 10 – April 10), according to Google data.
The below graph shows the spike in searches containing the term “coronavirus” over the past 90 days. According to the graph, there were no searches before January 21. There was a major spike in searches beginning on March 10, four days after the first case of Coronavirus was reported in South Carolina on March 6.
How to read the graph, from Google: Numbers represent search interest relative to the highest point on the chart for the given region and time. A value of 100 is the peak popularity for the term. A value of 50 means that the term is half as popular. A score of 0 means there was not enough data for this term.
NOTE: This is live data and will continue updating, so it may be different depending on when it’s looked at.
① How many cases of coronavirus are in the US?
John’s Hopkins data shows that as of Tuesday, April 28, there are 1,012,399 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States. Use the map below from John’s Hopkins University for the most up-to-date numbers.
② How many cases of coronavirus are in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, there are 5,735 cases of coronavirus, as of Tuesday, April 28. These numbers are reported by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. These numbers are updated daily around 4:00 p.m. Look at the map below for the most up-to-date numbers.
③ How did the coronavirus start?
While the exact origin is still being investigated, early on, many patients that contracted the virus had some link to a large seafood and live animal market in Wuhan, China, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Later it was determined that a growing number of patients had no connection with animal markets, showing person-to-person spread, the CDC said.
The virus, named SARS-CoV-2, originates in bats, along with other viruses such as the MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV viruses.
④ What is the coronavirus?
The CDC says the coronavirus is a “respiratory illness that can spread from person-to-person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.”
⑤ Is coronavirus airborne?
According to the CDC, COVID-19 is mainly spread through respiratory droplets when a person either sneezes or coughs. It can be inhaled into the lungs by people nearby after the droplets land in someone’s nose or mouth.
The CDC says spread is most likely when people are within six feet of each other, which is why social distancing is being pushed so heavily.
The WHO notes that even though it can be spread through respiratory droplets, the droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and fall to surfaces rather quickly.
⑥ What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the most common symptoms of coronavirus are fever, tiredness, and a dry cough. WHO says others experience symptoms such as aches and pains, nasal congenstion, runny nose, sore throat, and diarrhea.
Some people that get coronavirus show no symptoms at all, and 80% recover from it with no treatment.
⑦ How many people have died from coronavirus?
As of Tuesday, April 28, the number of deaths are as follows:
Click on each link above for the most current numbers, as they change every day.
⑧ Where did coronavirus come from?
The virus originated in Wuhan, China, as noted above, however WHO says it’s too early to tell exactly what caused initial infections.
⑨ When will coronavirus end?
A projection from the Institute of Health Metric Evaluation (IHME) forecasts that the peak for daily deaths in the United States happened April 15, with cases projected through June, but that number varies in different states, and also assumes social distancing is followed through May. Please note these screenshots were taken on Friday, April 17 and may vary slightly.
In South Carolina, projections show the peak of daily deaths happened April 9, with peak hospital resource use happening on April 15. Cases projected into June.
Keep in mind, these are only projections based on data. As Dr. Fauci says: “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.” He’s hoping that it will be under control enough in the fall.
⑩ How long does coronavirus last?
There’s no good answer to this question. No one really knows how long the virus will last. Based on the IHME data above, in South Carolina, cases are expected to pop up through June, but that doesn’t mean the virus will go away after that. Dr. Fauci believes the virus could become seasonal.
Scientists are actively working on a vaccine for the virus, but it largely remains unpredictable. As for getting “back to normal,” Dr. Fauci said in a press briefing April 6 that he doesn’t think we will until we’re able to protect the population.
“When we say getting back to normal, we mean something very different from what we’re going through now,” Fauci said. “When we go back to normal, we will go back gradually to the point where we can function as a society.”
