South Carolina confirmed almost 3,000 new cases of coronavirus on February 14.
More than 5.5 million tests for the virus have been carried out across the state. In the past seven days, about nine percent of the tests were positive, according to the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control.
During the course of the pandemic, almost 20,000 hospitalizations in total occurred related to a case of COVID-19.
State figures
New cases reported: 2,735 confirmed, 261 probable.
Total cases in SC: 426,580 confirmed, 60,713 probable.
Positive percentage: 11.4 percent.
New deaths reported: 76 confirmed, 11 likely.
Total deaths in SC: 7,149 confirmed, 849 probable.
Percentage of ICU beds occupied: 75.9 percent.
How does SC rank in vaccines administered by 100,000 people? 48 as of February 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most affected areas
In the total number of new confirmed cases, Greenville, Charleston and Spartanburg counties recorded the highest totals.
What about the tri-county?
Charleston County had 242 new cases on February 14, while Berkeley counted 73 and Dorchester saw 76.
Deaths
Fifteen of the new confirmed deaths reported were patients aged 35 to 64, while the rest of the patients were 65 or older.
Hospitalizations
Of the 1,269 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized on February 14, 313 were in the ICU and 184 were using ventilators.
What do the experts say?
The CDC encourages people to continue wearing a mask, avoid crowds, stay 1.8 m away from others and avoid poorly ventilated spaces. Dr. Linda Bell, DHEC’s chief epidemiologist, said that now is not the time to relax these preventive measures.
The CDC issued guidelines recommending that the use of two well-fitting masks on top of each other increases their effectiveness.
It is recommended that people living in the community get tested for COVID-19 once a month or earlier if they develop symptoms or live with someone who is positive for the virus.
Talk to Fleming Smith at 843-937-5591. Follow her on Twitter at @MFlemingSmith.