COLUMBIA, S.C. — There were more than 1,200 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in South Carolina on Sunday, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
In addition to 1,281 new positive tests, health officials also confirmed seven more coronavirus-related deaths.
This marked the most new cases reported in a single day since 1,489 positive tests were reported by DHEC on Sept. 3.
Since testing began in March, there have been 163,143 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 3,567 deaths in South Carolina, according to DHEC.
Sunday's new data is based on 11,501 tests, and the percent positive in South Carolina was 11.1%, health officials said.
Overall, 1,880,529 tests have been conducted in South Carolina.
Which counties were affected?
Greenville County had the most new cases Sunday with 195, followed by Spartanburg County's 148, according to DHEC.
In the Midlands, Richland County reported 60 new cases, while Lexington County had 73, data showed.
Since testing began, 17,064 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Richland County, and 8,796 more in Lexington County, DHEC data shows.
Of the seven new deaths reported by DHEC, one was a middle-aged person (35-64 years old) in Kershaw County.
Another middle-aged person died of COVID-19 in Anderson County, while the other people who died were classified as elderly (65 and older), including two in Greenville County. Other counties reporting deaths included Aiken, Laurens, and Newberry, health officials said.
The overall total of COVID-19 deaths reported in Richland County is 248, while 199 people have died in Lexington County, DHEC data shows.
How is COVID-19 trending in SC?
On Friday, DHEC launched a new dashboard aimed at giving residents a quick look at how seven sets of data related to the pandemic are trending in South Carolina:
Rate of cases per 100,000
Rate of tests per 100,000
Percentage of positive tests
Deaths by date
Hospitalizations
ICU hospitalizations
COVID-19 patients
The number of daily new cases reported in South Carolina hit a high in July. The rate of testing, meanwhile, has plateaued over the past month or more, as DHEC went from reporting more than 10,000 tests per day regularly in the middle of summer to never hitting that standard throughout September and October.
The number of deaths by date has declined slightly, though there is often a delay in reporting as officials determine whether it should be classified as a COVID-19 related death.
Meanwhile, the number of hospitalizations has stayed relatively steady in the past month, with the rate of ICU hospitalizations increasing slightly and the number of patients on ventilators decreasing.
Are all cases accounted for?
State health officials estimated in the past that more than 80% of South Carolinians who contract the virus didn't get tested, and global experts have said official case counts have likely under-counted the number of cases.
DHEC has also been recording probable cases and probable deaths. A probable case is someone who has not received a lab test result but has virus symptoms or a positive antibody test. A probable death is someone who has not gotten a lab test but whose death certificate lists COVID-19 as a cause of death or a contributing factor.
On Sunday, health officials reported 15 new probable cases and two new probable deaths from COVID-19. That puts the total number of probable cases at 7,535 and total probable deaths at 235.
How are hospitals being impacted?
On Sunday, DHEC reported that 725 patients were hospitalized with coronavirus-related symptoms. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at one time in the state peaked at 1,723 on July 23.
Some have more serious conditions than others; 206 COVID-19 patients are in intensive care, and 95 are on ventilators.
Of the 10,155 hospital beds available in South Carolina, 8,134 are currently occupied, or 80.1%, health officials said. There are currently 1,148 of 1,494 ICU beds occupied, or 76.84%, according to DHEC.
Health officials said COVID-19 can cause mild to severe illness. Older adults and people who have serious underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and/or chronic lung diseases, are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, according to DHEC.
