South Carolina registered nearly 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, a dismal milestone state public health officials noted in a media conference call when providing updates on expanding the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.
The new case numbers undermine the daily record of the State of Palmetto, something that officials from the Department of Health and Environmental Control of SC say should remind residents of the importance of continuing to take precautions such as wearing masks, social distance and hand washing. .
“People continue to die from COVID-19,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC’s interim director of public health.
State figures
New cases reported: 4,986, which is 3,055 percent higher than the 158 registered on March 31, the day Governor Henry McMaster ordered the closing of non-essential deals.
Total cases in SC: 315,353, plus 28,823 probable cases
New reported deaths: 28
Total deaths in SC: 5,217 confirmed, 478 probable
Total tests in SC: 3,948,383
Hospitalized patients: 1,046
Percentage of positive tests, average of seven days: 31.8 percent. Five percent or less of the tests with positive results is a good sign that the spread of the virus is slowing, say the researchers.
This story is developing. Come back to find out more.
Reach Gregory Yee at 843-937-5908. Follow him on Twitter @GregoryYYee.