COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina health officials reported 1,174 new confirmed coronavirus cases Monday, continuing a streak of reporting more than 1,000 cases a day that started about two weeks ago.
The new cases bring the total number that the state has seen since March up to 203,659.
About 18% of tests reported Monday came back positive. Percentage 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 percentage positive rates were at 5% or lower for at least 14 days.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials also reported 27 more COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the virus's death toll in the state to 4,077.
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.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Upstate area continues to outpace other South Carolina regions.
Greenville County reported the most new positive tests in the state Monday with 181. It was followed by York County, situated just South of Charlotte, with 112 confirmed cases. Nearby Spartanburg County saw 71 new cases.
Other densely populated counties also reported high case numbers, such as Anderson with 72, Horry with 79, Lexington with 74 and Richland with 76.
Since March, Richland County has had a total of 18,793 confirmed COVID-19 cases and Lexington County has reported 10,439 positive tests.
Of the 27 deaths confirmed Monday, 22 were elderly individuals (65 and older) and five were middle-aged (35-64), according to DHEC.
Deaths were reported in the following counties: Anderson (1), Berkeley (1), Chesterfield (1), Dorchester (2), Florence (2), Greenville (5), Horry (1), Lancaster (1), Lee (1), Oconee (1), Orangeburg (1), Pickens (4), Richland (2), Spartanburg (2), Williamsburg (1) and York (1).
Across the country, health experts said official counts have likely undercounted the number of cases to large degrees.
At one point, South Carolina officials estimated that 86% of those infected never got tested or diagnosed, but they no longer provide those estimates.
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 Monday, DHEC reported 13 new probable COVID-19 cases in the state, and one new probable death. That puts the total number of probable cases at 13,828 and total probable deaths at 304.
DHEC reported 925 people in South Carolina were hospitalized for the coronavirus Monday, the most reported since Wednesday, when health officials recorded 940 hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
COVID-19 patients made up 11.53% of all reported inpatients in South Carolina on Monday, according to DHEC.
Nearly 26% of COVID-19 patients, or 237 people, are in intensive care units, and more than 12%, or 112 patients, are on ventilators.
Despite the rise in COVID-19 patients, hospital bed occupancy and ICU bed occupancy remain below 75%, with 73.18% of the state's hospital beds and 72.33% of its ICU beds occupied.
Several key COVID-19 metrics the state tracks to measure spread remain below the highs hit in July, but are trending up, health officials warn.
Indicators such as daily case rates by population, percentage of positive tests and hospitalizations all have risen since mid-October.
The rate of testing has increased steadily over the past month, with an average of 166 tests per 100,000 individuals being performed daily over the past 30 days, a 20% increase from the month prior.
Overall, more than 2.7 million tests have been conducted in South Carolina.
