Coronavirus cases in Chester County jump 10 percent in single day, SC officials say
Chester County’s number of confirmed coronavirus cases went up 10% Wednesday, state health officials announced.
The county reported two new cases, for a total of 22 positive tests since the COVID-19 pandemic started, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The two cases is a concern in rural Chester County, where the population is around 32,000 people, said Eddie Murphy, Chester County Emergency Management Director.
“When we have a day with two new cases like this, it shows that we likely have not seen our peak in Chester County,” Murphy said. “There doesn’t seem to be any doubt our numbers are going to increase in the coming days.”
Murphy, who is also the Lando Volunteer Fire Department Chief, said social distancing rules, which are showing results, must be followed by all people — especially young adults.
“People need to remember that this virus is contagious for people of any age group,” Murphy said. “We know it is difficult when a family gathers. But the social distancing even in families has been shown to work.”
Those rules are important during excursions to grocery stores and other places where the public is getting essential items, Murphy said.
“If people can choose, pick a time of the day when the stores are relatively quiet, get in, keep your distance, and get home safely,” Murphy said.
DHEC also reported one new case and a second coronavirus-related death in Lancaster County. Coroner Karla Knight Deese announced the death Tuesday. DHEC said that individual was elderly and had underlying health ailments.
The department reported 105 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, across the state, for a total of 3,656 positive tests in all 46 counties.
Since the pandemic started, there have been 138 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in York County, which did not report any new cases Wednesday, and Lancaster County has had 68 reported cases, according to DHEC.
DHEC announced Wednesday that nine other individuals have died in Colleton, Georgetown, Greenville, Kershaw, Spartanburg, McCormick, Richland and Sumter counties. Seven of the recent deaths involved elderly individuals with underlying health ailments, according to DHEC.
Based on DHEC’s count, there have been 107 coronavirus-related deaths in South Carolina. Three residents in York County and two in Lancaster County have died after contracting the virus, according to DHEC.
As of Wednesday, more than 34,000 coronavirus tests had been completed by DHEC’s public lab and private labs in the state, and roughly 11% of tests have come back positive, according to the department.
Based on new projections, DHEC calculated that there are up to 848 unidentified cases in York County. The department estimated Lancaster County has as many as 418 unidentified cases and Chester County has up to 135 unidentified cases.
According to its website, DHEC calculates projected cases based on evidence that for every known case, there could be up to nine unidentified people with the virus.
Confirmed cases by ZIP codes
As of Tuesday night, there are cases in the following York County ZIP codes:
- 29704 - 1
- 29708 - 14
- 29710 - 24
- 29715 - 26
- 29717 - 1
- 29730 - 23
- 29732 - 38
- 29745 - 8
There are cases in the following Lancaster County ZIP codes:
- 29058 - 4
- 29067 - 6
- 29707 - 16
- 29720 - 46
There are cases in the following Chester County ZIP codes:
- 29014 - 1
- 29055 - 5
- 29706 - 12
- 29712 - 1
- 29714 - 4
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 4:26 PM.
