Every day, The Greenville News writes 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 November 16, 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
DHEC Announces Monday Numbers
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 981 new confirmed cases and 10 new probable cases of the new coronavirus, as well as 27 additional confirmed deaths and 4 new probable deaths.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 185,390 probable cases to 11,227, confirmed deaths to 3,873 and probable deaths to 270.
Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson were No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, among 46 South Carolina counties for new cases. Greenville, which is the most populous county in South Carolina, was 193. Spartanburg was 74 and Anderson was 56.
Bob Jones University freezes tuition
Bob Jones University froze 2021-22 school year tuition to $ 9,550 per semester, the same rate this year.
The university increased the cost of accommodation, food and program fees by about 2.6% for the academic year 2021-22. Accommodation and meals cost $ 4,290 per semester.
In a released statement, university president Steve Pettit said the goal of the freeze is to help families struggling financially because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Although the BJU was recently named by the US News & World Report as the best regional university in the Carolinas, this tuition freeze continues to solidify BJU as an incredibly accessible Christian liberal arts education,” said Pettit in the statement. “With parents and students struggling with the uncertainties of COVID-19, freezing tuition fees will help ease the financial stress of our students and their parents.”
DHEC asks South Carolinians to be smart during holidays
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control issued a statement on Monday urging South Carolinians to be “vigilant” during this holiday season.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have increased across the country, as well as in South Carolina and DHEC, along with the South Carolina Hospital Association and Medical University of South Carolina, urging residents to “rededicate themselves to individual actions to protect public health in the midst of this pandemic. “
A specific practice suggested by DHEC is aimed at university students. The agency encourages students to take the test now so they get the results before they go home on vacation and do the same before going back to campuses. Asymptomatic people who do not know they have the virus pose the greatest threat to others, as it can be spread during the holidays, the statement said.
Simply put, DHEC encourages South Carolinians to continue to properly wear masks, stay physically away from others and take the routine test for COVID-19.
GCS high schools returning to full-time face-to-face classes
High school students in the Greenville County school district will begin a gradual return to integral learning in person next week, Superintendent Burke Royster announced Monday morning.
Students will be required to wear masks even when they are seated in most classes, Royster said, and students should clean their desks when they arrive and leave.
The gradual introduction is due to close on January 4, when all high school students will start attending classes five days a week.
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Occupation of hospital beds in Greenville County
According to DHEC, by November 12, more than 80% of the beds in the Prisma Health Greenville memorial were occupied. 83.49% of the ICU beds were occupied.
Until November 11, 71.05% of the hospitalization beds at Centro São Francisco were occupied, 80% of the ICU beds were occupied.
On November 11, at St. Francis Eastside, 62.25% of hospital beds were occupied, while 71.43% of ICU beds were occupied.
What to know Monday
- The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 981 new confirmed cases and 10 new probable cases of the new coronavirus, as well as 27 additional confirmed deaths and 4 new probable deaths.
- Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson were No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, among 46 South Carolina counties for new cases. Greenville, which is the most populous county in South Carolina, was 193. Spartanburg was 74 and Anderson was 56.
- 6,688 individual test results reported across the state yesterday (not including antibody tests) 14.7% positive.
- New cases of coronavirus increased in South Carolina in the week ending Saturday, increasing 14%, with 9,272 reported cases. The previous week had 8,130 new cases. South Carolina ranked 38th among the states where the coronavirus spread most rapidly, shows an analysis by the USA TODAY network of Johns Hopkins University data.
- There are only 12 beds available in hospitals in Spartanburg, as COVID-19 continues to take its toll in the northern state, hospital officials announced at a board meeting last week.