Less than 600 Southern Carolinians tested positive for COVID-19, continuing the downward trend in new cases since January.
With more on-the-job workers and high-risk residents receiving injections in the latest round of vaccines, experts hope to see the spread plummet by summer.
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control recorded an average of just over 600 new cases per day last week, an average of seven days similar to what the State of Palmetto recorded in mid-June.
State figures
New cases reported: 571 confirmed, 241 probable.
Total cases in SC: 454,158 confirmed, 78,391 probable.
Positive percentage: 3.6 percent.
New reported deaths: 33 confirmed, 8 probable.
Total deaths in SC: 7,842 confirmed, 1,028 probable.
Percentage of ICU beds occupied: 70.8 percent.
How does SC rank in vaccines administered by 100,000 people?
42nd on March 12, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most affected areas
The highest totals of new confirmed cases were in Richland (75), Greenville (72) and Spartanburg (46) counties.
What about the tri-county?
Charleston County had 35 new cases on March 13, while Berkeley counted 19 and Dorchester, 17.
Deaths
Ten of the new confirmed deaths reported occurred among people aged 35 to 64, the remainder were patients aged 65 and over.
Hospitalizations
Of the 598 patients with COVID-19 admitted on March 13, 156 were in the ICU and 61 were using ventilators.
What do the experts say?
South Carolina health professionals said that in order to beat COVID-19, people must get the vaccine when it is their turn.
Efforts to make vaccines available to all South Carolina residents are underway.
The CDC said that those who received the COVID-19 vaccine should wait at least 14 days before receiving any other vaccine, including for influenza or herpes zoster. People who receive another vaccine first must wait the same amount of time before receiving the coronavirus injection.
More information can be found at scdhec.gov/vaxfacts.
