| Greenville News
This is a developing story that will be updated throughout the day with the latest news about the coronavirus pandemic and its effects in upstate South Carolina.
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DHEC reports 1,629 new cases of coronavirus, plus 19 deaths
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 1,629 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 19 more confirmed deaths on Thursday.
Greenville County led the state with 246 cases, followed by Charleston County with 244 cases.
The agency reported that 1,125 of the state’s hospital beds are occupied by patients who have tested positive or likely have the virus.
There were 9,634 people tested for the virus on Wednesday, excluding antibody tests, with 16.9% testing positive, according to DHEC.
Anderson County School District 5 offers virtual option
Anderson County School District 5 will offer a virtual option for students from kindergarten through 12th grade next year.
District administrators asked parents interested in the program, called Anderson Five Virtual Academy, to complete a survey on the district’s website by July 7.
Bob Jones University Announces Health Safety Protocols
Bob Jones University President Steve Pettit announced health and safety protocols on Thursday for the fall semester.
The university is demanding physical distance and face masks when necessary. BJU will provide a reusable cloth mask for all students.
“BJU is continuing to monitor the situation and will provide adequate and up-to-date guidance on health and safety for our teachers, staff and students, while we wait for our first day of classes on Tuesday, August 18th,” said Pettit.
BJU is partnering with Prisma Health to present BJU Health Services, which will include an electronic health assessment tool for students, teachers and staff to conduct daily health checkups.
Unemployment decreased slightly from last week
In the complaints week that ended on June 27, 16,959 people filed their initial claim for unemployment insurance. This is a decrease from 139 initial complaints from the previous week.
In the past 15 weeks, the total number of initial complaints has increased to 635,688 in South Carolina.
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