COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina public health officials on Friday reported 1,777 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, the highest daily case count in more than four months, and a monthly high 28 deaths from coronavirus complications.
It's the third time since July that South Carolina has reported at least 1,700 cases — all three were this month — and the most confirmed cases reported in a day since July 23, when 1,870 cases were announced, according to state Department of Health and Environmental Control data.
Nearly 200,000 people in South Carolina have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since March and 4,043 have died, DHEC said.
The jump in confirmed cases Friday coincides with 14,392 tests administered, the second-highest total this month.
Testing ramped up considerably in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday, with some popular testing sites processing more than 100 people per hour in recent days, DHEC said.
More than 12% of the tests reported Friday came back positive, according to public health officials.
Percent positive rates provide an idea of how widespread coronavirus infection is in a testing area, with higher numbers indicating there are likely more people infected with COVID-19 in the community who have not been tested and who may unwittingly spread the disease to others.
The World Health Organization earlier this year advised governments not to reopen until percent positive rates were at 5% or lower for at least 14 days.
DHEC urges anyone who is symptomatic or who has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 to get tested themselves, and recommends routine monthly testing for anyone who is out and about in the community, even if they are asymptomatic.
