Coronavirus latest: York County confirms 22 new cases in one day, Chester adds 8 cases
York County added 22 new cases of coronavirus Monday, South Carolina health officials announced.
The county now has had 486 COVID-19 cases confirmed since the pandemic started, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
DHEC identified 542 new cases of COVID-19 across the state Monday, marking a new single-day high. Last week, DHEC reported record high case numbers each day, including four days with more than 300 cases and one day with more than 500.
Based on the agency’s count, there have now been a total of 14,800 cases reported in South Carolina.
Chester County added eight new cases, for a total of 109 cases since the pandemic started in March, according to DHEC. The agency reported three more cases in Lancaster County, and the county now has had 203 cases.
York County Council member Robert Winkler said there is concern about the high number of positive cases reported in the county in recent days, including the 22 reported Monday.
”There is always going to be concern when we see the number of cases go up instead of down,” Winkler said.
Monday’s jump in cases is likely linked to the free coronavirus testing that has opened in the county in the last weeks, Winkler said.
“We are testing more and more people, so it stands to reason that there will be more positive tests but also more negative tests,” Winkler said. “So many more people are being tested now.”
Winkler said the relaxed business and commerce rules, coupled with some not following social distancing guidelines as closely as in past weeks, could also play a part in the recent high numbers.
“It could be a combination of things opening up and some easing of following social distancing,” Winkler said. “This is a fine line being walked here because we can’t just force people to stay home forever. People have bills to pay and families to feed.”
Chuck Haynes, York County Emergency Management Director, said state health officials continue to tell his office the higher number of cases in the past week are the likely result of far more people in York County being tested.
“It appears we are finding more because we are testing more,” Haynes said.
COVID-19 deaths and testing
Monday, DHEC also reported 11 more people across the state died as a result of the virus. Based on DHEC’s count, there now have been 557 coronavirus-related deaths in South Carolina.
Last week, Lancaster County Coroner Karla Knight Deese announced another resident died as a result of the virus. Her office has now confirmed seven coronavirus-related deaths in the county. Deese did not release any more details about the death.
As of Monday, DHEC has confirmed six deaths in Lancaster County. DHEC has reported 10 coronavirus-related deaths in York County and one in Chester County.
Monday, 8.7% of tests done across the state were positive. Since March, labs across the state have completed 253,262 tests.
Hospitals across the state are at about 68% capacity. Monday, DHEC officials said, of the 7,004 beds currently used across the state, 507 beds are occupied by coronavirus patients or those who are suspected of having it.
DHEC officials calculated that there are up to 2,985 unidentified cases in York County based on projections released Wednesday. The agency estimated Lancaster County has as many as 1,247 unidentified cases, and Chester County has up to 670 unidentified cases.
And in all, officials estimated that as many as 105,714 people in the state have contracted the virus.
Coronavirus cases by ZIP code
As of Sunday night, there are cases in the following ZIP codes:
York County
- 29704 - 5
- 29708 - 52
- 29710 - 64
- 29715 - 57
- 29717 - 3
- 29730 - 114
- 29732 - 140
- 29745 - 37
Lancaster County
- 29058 - 8
- 29067 - 16
- 29707 - 41
- 29720 - 149
Chester County
- 29014 - 12
- 29055 - 39
- 29706 - 35
- 29712 - 5
- 29714 - 13
This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 4:47 PM.
