SC records over 10000 new COVID-19 cases and 5 new deaths ahead of July 4th holiday – Charleston Post Courier

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported over 10,000 new COVID-19 cases and five new deaths related to the virus June 19-25.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported:10,654

Total cases in S.C.: 1,546,406

New deaths reported:5

Total deaths in S.C.: 18,033

Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients):55.29 percent

Percent positive:20.2 percent

S.C. residents vaccinated

In South Carolina, 60.2 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received at least one dose, and 52.3 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

These numbers reflect all eligible residents, including young children. The latest data from DHEC shows 21.3 percent of children ages 5-11 have at least one vaccine dose.

Hospitalizations

Of the 266 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of June 28, 36 were in the ICU and 12 were using ventilators.

What do experts say?

Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended children ages 6 months and older get vaccinated against COVID-19 to avoid severe disease.

While we want to prevent severe outcomes for every age, it's especially concerning to see severe outcomes in our youngest children the hospitalizations and deaths," said Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC. "Children should not need to be hospitalized. They should not need to go to the ICU, to be on a ventilator, and they certainly should not lose their life to this virus at such a young age.

Follow Zharia Jeffries on Twitter @Zharia_Jeffries.

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SC records over 10000 new COVID-19 cases and 5 new deaths ahead of July 4th holiday - Charleston Post Courier