| Greenville News
As the National Hurricane Center watched a tropical system form off the coast of South Carolina on Wednesday afternoon, state emergency managers posted a public security alert on Facebook about what they consider to be the most imminent threat – COVID-19 .
“Coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, can only be stopped if you take personal health and safety precautions for yourself and those around you,” the post said. “Almost half of all confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Carolina have been diagnosed in the past two weeks. More than 1,400 South Carolinians are hospitalized, which represents more than 500 hospitalizations in the past two weeks.”
The state’s Emergency Management Division also posted a distressing video on Twitter that portrays the perspective of a hospitalized COVID-19 patient who is struggling to breathe.
The video includes a written text: “You may not end up here … But someone you know can. Wear a mask. Save a life.”
Governor Henry McMaster posted a tweet on Wednesday with a photo showing him wearing a mask.
“Wear your mask now so that our children can return to school in the fall,” he said.
What to know: Coronavirus in South Carolina
The social media campaign by state officials comes at a time when darker trends are emerging in South Carolina and in the urban areas of the state that have been hardest hit by the ongoing pandemic.
► The State Secretariat for Health and Environment Control reported that 21% of COVID-19 exams administered on Tuesday were positive, a new daily increase.
► According to a New York Times data analysis, South Carolina had the third worst COVID-19 outbreak in the world over the past week, behind only Arizona and Florida.
► Another analysis of data from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and the US Census Bureau showed that Charleston is at the top of a weekly national list of places where COVID-19 is spreading the fastest. Myrtle Beach ranked fifth on this week’s list.
► Charleston County overtook Greenville County as the state’s leader in general COVID-19 cases. But Greenville now leads the state with 95 confirmed deaths from COVID-19.
Projections: SC may surpass neighboring states in COVID-19 deaths by November 1
The University of Washington Institute of Health Metrics and Assessment released updated projections this week, showing that COVID-19 can claim up to 4,059 lives in South Carolina by November 1. On Wednesday, the state saw 876 confirmed deaths and eight probable deaths.
The same projections predict that the number of deaths from COVID-19 in South Carolina could exceed Georgia and North Carolina on November 1. On Wednesday, Georgia had 2,922 COVID-19 deaths and North Carolina, 1,441.
“We can now see the projected path of the epidemic in the fall, and many states are expected to experience significant increases in cases and deaths in September and October,” said IHME director Dr. Christopher Murray in a press release.
But IMHE projections also indicate that wearing a mask can lead to a significant reduction in deaths in South Carolina and across the United States. According to projections, South Carolina would see only 1,628 COVID-19 deaths on November 1, if 95% of its residents wore masks.
A total of 21 states issued mandatory mask orders, according to USA TODAY.
Although McMaster and other state officials are strongly encouraging South Carolina residents to wear masks, the Republican governor said he does not believe that a state order can be enforced.
Masks required: Here’s what the new Greenville mask requirement looks like on the first day
After Greenville County was classified as a coronavirus outbreak last month, Greenville City Council passed an emergency measure requiring residents to wear masks in supermarkets and pharmacies. A number of other cities, including Charleston, Clemson, Columbia and Myrtle Beach, have adopted similar rules.
Kirk Brown covers government and politics. Follow him on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM