York County update: 8 positive for coronavirus; more testing means higher totals.
Coronavirus cases in York County continue to rise as eight more were confirmed Wednesday, South Carolina health officials announced.
Lancaster County reported one new case, bringing its total to 110, and Chester County, which has had 39 cases, did not report any new cases, the Department of Health and Environmental Control announced.
York County now has had 265 coronavirus cases since the pandemic started, according to DHEC.
On Tuesday, York County reported its highest number of cases in a single day since the pandemic started with 15 new cases. The spike was likely a result of increased COVID-19 testing across the state, several local officials said.
DHEC officials said the agency is planning to nearly double the amount of statewide testing in May, with a goal of testing 2% of the state’s population, or 110,000 people, in each of the next two months.
Chuck Haynes, York County Emergency Management Director, told The Herald Wednesday the highest number of daily cases Tuesday was the result of increased testing and results from private lab tests. Haynes said the 15 positive cases is significant, but the public should not be alarmed.
“It was the highest in one day, and that does matter, but we do not see one day’s results as meaning that the virus is getting worse,” Haynes said.
DHEC also identified 133 new cases of COVID-19 across the state, for a total of 8,030 cases in all 46 counties.
The agency announced that seven other individuals died across the state. Based on DHEC’s count, there now have been 362 coronavirus-related deaths in South Carolina.
Monday, York County Coroner Sabrina Gast said her office has confirmed eight residents died after testing positive for COVID-19. As of Wednesday, DHEC has reported five coronavirus-related deaths in York County.
Lancaster County has reported five coronavirus-related deaths, and Chester County has not reported any deaths, according to DHEC.
Testing and projected cases
As of Wednesday, labs across the state have completed more than 95,866 tests and in all, about 9% of tests have come back positive. DHEC projected last week that about 81% of those diagnosed with the virus have recovered.
Based on new DHEC projections, about 1,000 new coronavirus cases are anticipated this week. By May 23, DHEC officials expect a total of 9,652 cases reported in the state.
DHEC calculated that there are up to 1,628 unidentified cases in York County based on projections released Tuesday. The agency estimated Lancaster County has as many as 676 unidentified cases, and Chester County has up to 240 unidentified cases.
According to its website, DHEC calculates the projected cases based on evidence that for every known case, there could be up to nine unidentified people with the virus.
What else to know
- A Lancaster County magistrate judge has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said.
The judge, who has not been identified, is recovering at home after testing positive for COVID-19, said Steve Willis, Lancaster County Administrator.
- The NCAA basketball academies, which was scheduled to take place in Rock Hill, have been canceled for 2020, The Herald reported.
The event, a developmental boys’ basketball academy for top college prospects, would have taken place in two three-day sessions from July 20-26.
- As the state starts to reopen, hotel occupancy rates in York County have gone up over the past two weeks, according to a press release from Visit York County.
- Legal Remedy’s second location at Riverwalk Carolinas will soon open, and several new restaurants have been announced, such as a brewery in Tega Cay, and “Kounter” by Charlotte’s Kre8 Twisted Eats chef is coming to the McCrory’s building in downtown Rock Hill, according to the release.
Confirmed cases by ZIP codes
As of Tuesday night, there are cases in the following York County ZIP codes:
- 29704 - 2
- 29708 - 28
- 29710 - 36
- 29715 - 38
- 29717 - 2
- 29730 - 54
- 29732 - 82
- 29745 - 15
There are cases in the following Lancaster County ZIP codes:
- 29058 - 4
- 29067 - 12
- 29707 - 24
- 29720 - 76
There are cases in the following Chester County ZIP codes:
- 29014 - 2
- 29055 - 5
- 29706 - 19
- 29712 - 1
- 29714 - 7
