SC nears 300000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with high percentage of positive tests – Charleston Post Courier

South Carolina approached 300,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Monday.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported Saturday's data on Monday, a recurring delay caused by the holiday.

Over the past few weeks, the state has continued to log high numbers of new COVID-19 cases each day, now regularly surpassing 3,000.

The percentage of tests returning a positive result for the virus has also increased, indicating widespread community transmission of COVID-19. For Saturday's numbers, out of 10,481 tests, 33.3 percent were positive for the coronavirus.

The increasing case numbers have spurred some branches of the Charleston County Public Library to suspend in-person services and return to curbside only.

Library staff said on Monday the Main Library at 68 Calhoun St., the Mount Pleasant Regional branch at 1133 Mathis Ferry Road and the Wando Mount Pleasant branch at 1400 Carolina Park Blvd. are open only for curbside services.

The change comes due to the recent rise in COVID-19 numbers and the related closures those three branches have experienced due to exposure, executive director Angela Craig said in a news release.

New cases reported:3,492, which is 2,110 percent higher than the 158 tallied on March 31, the day Gov. Henry McMaster ordered nonessential businesses to close.

Total cases in S.C.:299,685, plus 25,787 probable cases

New deaths reported:15

Total deaths in S.C.:5,056 confirmed, 428 probable

Total tests in S.C.:3,797,802

Hospitalized patients:2,155

Percent of positive tests, seven-day average:31 percent. Five percent of tests or fewer returning positive results is a good sign the virus spread is slowing, researchers say.

The top South Carolina counties for new coronavirus cases as of Saturday were Greenville, 555; Spartanburg, 370; and Richland, 289.

For Saturday's report, Charleston County had 140 new cases; Berkeley, 74; and Dorchester, 42.

Of the 15 new deaths reported as of Saturday, one was a patient aged 18 to 34, three were patients aged 35 to 64, and the rest were aged 65 and older.

They lived in Aiken, Barnwell, Beaufort, Chesterfield, Greenville, Lancaster, Lexington, Orangeburg and Spartanburg counties.

Of the 2,155 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Monday, 419 were in intensive care and 215 were on ventilators.

Authorities continue to urge South Carolinians to take precautions, such as wearing masks or other face coverings, social distancing and frequently washing hands.

They also urge anyone who believes theyve been exposed to the virus or who is developing symptoms to get tested. Those out in the community or not able to socially distance should get tested monthly, DHEC advised.

Go toscdhec.gov/findatestto find a testing site in your area.

Reach Fleming Smith at 843-937-5591. Follow her on Twitter at @MFlemingSmith.

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SC nears 300000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with high percentage of positive tests - Charleston Post Courier