COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster extended his COVID-19 emergency order late Wednesday for another 15 days.
It comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state have exploded in recent weeks and pushed health systems to the brink.
The state Department of Health and Environmental Control has reported more than 3,000 daily cases four times this month and at least 2,000 daily cases for 20 of the last 21 days.
As of Wednesday, nearly one in five of the state's inpatients were being treated for COVID-19 and the total number of people hospitalized with the virus was approaching record levels.
Despite the rise in COVID-19 cases, McMaster, who tested positive for COVID-19 Monday and underwent outpatient treatment, has declined to implement a statewide mask mandate or reimpose any of the restrictions on restaurants and bars that he lifted in October.
McMaster first declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 13, and has since reupped the emergency declaration more than a dozen times, most recently on Dec. 8.
