COLUMBIA, SC (WRDW / WAGT) – Of the more than 7,000 COVID-19 tests reported on August 2 in South Carolina, only 15.2% were positive. What does this mean for the spread of COVID-19 in the state?
As of yesterday, a total of 787,551 tests have been carried out in the state, as reported by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The total number of individual test results reported to the agency yesterday across the state was 7,257 and the positive percentage of those tests was 15.2%.
What does this mean in terms of how the virus is spreading in our communities?
According to DHEC, when the positive percentage is high, it may indicate that there are not enough tests being performed to capture the amount of disease in the community, and the tests can be focused on people who are most seriously ill.
When the positive percentage is low, it is the opposite. This may indicate that more widespread tests are being carried out and that the number may more accurately reflect the amount of disease present in the community.
For more information on testing COVID-19 in South Carolina, visit the DHEC Testing Data & Projections (COVID-19) website.
Copyright 2020 WRDW / WAGT. All rights reserved.