Coronavirus cases have increased in South Carolina in recent days, especially in Greenville County, and the data shows that it is not just because the state is testing more people.
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control registered 1,768 new cases of COVID-19 in the week of May 24 to 30. It had designed only 1,300.
The number far exceeds previous records set in the spring; 1,290 was the highest number of cases seen in a single week in March and April. DHEC now expects South Carolina’s cases to reach 15,000 by June 13, about 1,000 more than a recent forecast.
Much of the increase in cases comes from Greenville County, where new cases in the past few days are more than three times the values seen in Richland and Charleston, the state’s second and third largest counties.
Dr. Linda Bell, DHEC’s leading epidemiologist, said the agency is not sure why Greenville is seeing many more cases than other counties. But she said Memorial Day celebrations probably contributed.
“We think we are seeing some of the consequences of these social gatherings across the state,” she said in an interview on Monday.
Southeastern states are among those that still see an increasing number of COVID-19 cases, said Jennifer Nuzzo, an academic at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Why this is happening is unclear, said Nuzzo. One possibility: after reaching many urban areas in the country, the virus is spreading and transmission is taking off. In states like South Carolina, which have opted to reopen earlier than most, people may have the false feeling that the spread of coronavirus is slowing, she said.
“The risk of infection has not changed,” said Nuzzo. “Now it’s really about the individuals who decide which exhibitions are worthwhile.”
The best way to prevent it from spreading is to stay home if you’re sick, she added.
A DHEC spokeswoman said that part of the reason the cases made their way to daily records over the weekend may be due to aggressive testing in nursing homes. The health department said it had completed testing all 40,000 nursing home residents and state employees last week.
South Carolina began to see a dramatic increase in the number of tests performed each day in early May. DHEC has committed to testing 2 percent of the population – or about 110,000 people – each month. Shipments of supplies from the federal government depend on South Carolina achieving this mark.
But the growing number of cases in South Carolina is outpacing DHEC projects, even though more tests are being done.
The spokeswoman said that contact trackers are tracking all people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the state, and DHEC is using this information to investigate why certain areas are experiencing an increase.
Southern Carolinians should continue to wear masks, wash their hands and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet, she said.
South Carolina has yet to see a 14-day period of declining cases, which President Donald Trump’s government has defined as a guide for states to start reopening.
The state’s residence or work order expired on May 4, allowing businesses to start opening again.
Andy Shain contributed to this report.
Reach Mary Katherine Wildeman at 843-607-4312. Follow her on Twitter @mkwildeman.