Tega Cay facilities to reopen; COVID19 cases increase in York County region
Thirteen more people have died related to COVID-19 as of Friday, health officials reported.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 331 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The state has now had a total of 11,131 cases.
Eight of the deaths reported Friday were elderly individuals from Berkeley, Darlington, Fairfield, Florence, Greenville, Horry and Spartanburg counties, DHEC reported. Five were middle-aged people from Florence, Laurens, Lee, Saluda and Williamsburg counties.
York County reported 14 more cases Friday while Chester and Lancaster County each reported three new cases, according to DHEC.
Friday’s count is among the highest one-day totals York County has had since the pandemic began in March, said Chuck Haynes, York County Emergency Management Director.
Officials say the increase in free local testing, which included more than 300 people May 22 in York, is the likely reason for the high number.
The trends of positive cases remain at a generally flat level when looking at periods of a week or two, Haynes said.
“We have not received any information from DHEC or any other source that shows that we are seeing an increase that was not expected with more testing,” Haynes said.
Haynes reiterated that even though restaurants, stores and most businesses are now open, residents should continue to wear masks in public, practice social distancing and avoid unnecessary trips into public areas.
City re-openings
The City of Tega Cay will start to open more facilities Monday, according to a statement posted on the city’s Facebook page.
City Hall and police department lobbies will reopen to the public. The city hall lobby is limited to no more than four people at a time, not including staff, the post states. The lobby at the police department will not allow more than six people at a time.
The Beach and Swim Center will reopen as well, with a limit of five people gathered at a time in the room and a limit of four people at once in the gym, the post states. Rentals will again be allowed at Pitcairn Park and Windjammer Park.
City employees will wear masks when interacting with the public, according to the statement.
Visitors are asked not to enter any facilities if they have been sick and are encouraged to wear face coverings, according to the post.
Lancaster County officials continue to work on reopening plans.
Testing
DHEC and private laboratories had conducted 194,047 tests as of Thursday.
On Thursday, 5,361 tests were performed in South Carolina, with 6.2% yielding positive results, DHEC reported.
York and Chester counties again opened free testing sites Friday. Both sites already have tested more than 300 people for the virus, The Herald previously reported.
Cases by zip code
As of Thursday night, these are the confirmed cases by zip code in:
York County
- 29704 - 4
- 29708 - 40
- 29710 - 49
- 29715 - 48
- 29717 - 3
- 29730 - 80
- 29732 - 123
- 29745 - 25
Lancaster County
- 29058 - 5
- 29067 - 12
- 29707 - 30
- 29720 - 93
Chester County
- 29014 - 3
- 29055 - 20
- 29706 - 22
- 29712 - 4
- 29714 - 9
