COLUMBIA, S.C. – DHEC on Thursday announced 220 new cases of the coronavirus and 12 additional deaths.
This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 6,095 and those who have died to 244.
Nine of the deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Anderson (1), Chesterfield (1), Clarendon (1), Florence (1), Greenville (2), Lexington (2), and Richland (1) counties. Three occurred in middle-aged individuals from Anderson (1), Greenville (1), and Richland (1) counties.
The number of new cases by county are listed below.
Horry: 4 new (215 total)
Marion: 1 new (34 total)
Dillon: 5 new (52 total)
Marlboro: 2 new (45 total)
Darlington: 13 new (126 total)
Florence: 16 new (304 total)
Georgetown: 3 new (43 total)
New cases in other counties:
Abbeville (1), Aiken (2), Anderson (3), Bamberg (1), Barnwell (3), Beaufort (1), Berkeley (6), Calhoun (1), Charleston (3), Cherokee (2), Chester (3), Chesterfield (3), Clarendon (9), Colleton (1), Dorchester (3), Fairfield (2) Georgetown (3), Greenville (36), Greenwood (3), Kershaw (3), Lancaster (3), Lee (5), Lexington (7), Marion (1), Marlboro (2), Newberry (2), Orangeburg (4), Pickens (1), Richland (16), Saluda (6), Spartanburg (25), Sumter (5), Union (1), Williamsburg (2), York (13)
Hospital Bed Capacity
As of this morning, 4,512 hospital beds are available and 6,894 are in use, which is a 60.4% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 6,894 beds currently used, 307 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.
Testing in South Carolina
As of April 29, DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory has conducted 15,251 tests for COVID-19. Of these tests, 2,009 were positive and 13,242 were negative. A total of 56,512 total tests by both DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory and private labs have been conducted in the state. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week. The Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.
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. South Carolinians are encouraged to stay home and minimize contact with people outside their households to prevent the spread of the disease.
