Here are the latest updates

Greenville News and Spartanburg Herald Journal

Every day, The Greenville News publishes a new live story with the latest COVID-19 news relevant to our communities in the state. This is our COVID-19 news summary for December 3, 2020. We will update this story only until the end of the day.

Map of coronavirus SC: An analysis of COVID-19 cases by county and postal code

Greenville County Schools adjust COVID-19 protocols

The Greenville County school district sent a message to parents on Thursday night announcing a change to the COVID-19 quarantine protocols based on new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Environmental Control of State. The quarantine period for students considered to be close contacts of people positive for the coronavirus will be reduced from 14 to 10 days, starting on Friday.

The message:

“The CDC determined that approximately 99% of positive cases develop within 10 days of exposure. As a result, starting tomorrow and following this new guideline, the quarantine period for students identified as” close contacts “will be reduced from 14 to 10 days According to the guidelines of the CDC and DHEC, for an additional four days these individuals must carefully monitor the symptoms, maintain a vigilant social distance and wear a mask whenever social distance is not possible, due to the limited staff to manage this system and the number of students impacted, we are unable to immediately review the quarantine period for students who are already in quarantine. We will work next week to retroactively apply these guidelines.

“The CDC has also issued additional guidelines that may further shorten the quarantine period to 7 days when combined with a negative test result between the 5th and the 7th day. Due to the increased risk of spread and the complexity of communication and management of more complicated systems for testing, monitoring and verifying test results, GCS decided not to use this option at this time.

“Note: individuals who cannot use a mask will not be able to use the reduced quarantine option.”

7,360 COVID-19 test results reported on Wednesday, 23.8% were positive

The State Department of Health and Environmental Control notified 1,754 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 21 new deaths Thursday. The department also reported 137 new probable cases of COVID-19.

The cumulative state total is 208,435 confirmed cases, and there were 4,145 confirmed deaths. In addition, there were 14,628 probable cases and 231 probable deaths.

Of the 7,360 COVID-19 test results reported to DHEC on Wednesday, 23.8% were positive.

Greenville County, the most populous of the state’s 46 counties, leads the state with the highest number of confirmed cases every day since November 6. Greenville was responsible for 187 new cases confirmed in DHEC’s Thursday report. Greenville County, which accounts for 10.2% of the state’s population according to the latest Census estimates, was responsible for 10.6% of reported cases.

Spartanburg, which represents 6.2% of the state’s population, was responsible for 4.7% of new cases (83). Anderson, who accounts for 3.9% of the population, accounted for 4.96% of cases (87), and Pickens, who accounts for 2.5% of the population, accounted for 5.6% of cases (99).

Pickens County becomes COVID access point

About three dozen Pickens County leaders – from the school district, cities, county offices and state legislature – gathered under an awning on the shores of Lake Keowee this week.

Pickens is one of the most rural counties in South Carolina, yet it has become one of the state’s leading centers of COVID-19 infections.

Late last week, Pickens and Oconee counties began to lead the state in new cases of coronavirus per person, a key metric used to measure spread in communities, according to data from the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control.

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Hospitals in the interior of the state report a lack of personnel

Seven hospitals in the interior of the state, including five in Prisma, reported a shortage of staff related to the demands of the coronavirus pandemic, although all facilities said they had made internal adjustments to accommodate needs.

The staff shortage was reported in a survey by the State Department of Health and Environmental Control and provided to The Greenville News.

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Here is the latest information Thursday

  • The State Department of Health and Environmental Control reported on Wednesday 1,612 new cases of COVID-19 and 35 new deaths. The department also reported 70 likely new cases of COVID-19.
  • The state’s cumulative total is 206,653 confirmed cases, and there were 4,126 confirmed deaths. In addition, there were 14,182 probable cases and 318 probable deaths.
  • Of the 7,480 COVID-19 test results reported Tuesday to DHEC, 21.6% were positive.
  • Greenville County officials are helping Prisma Health acquire three mobile units to provide COVID-19 vaccines to people in remote areas of the state
  • Clemson University will require all of its students to take the COVID-19 test weekly for the next semester, a tightening of the university’s already strict COVID-19 protocols.
  • According to Travelers Rest United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church of Greer made a decision on Monday to return to the online based service.
  • Denver Downs is getting into the Christmas spirit with a drive-in movie-style screening of “The Polar Express” on Saturday night.

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