‘Cases are higher than ever’: Officials worry as York adds 20-plus COVID-19 cases again
York County added more than 20 new coronavirus cases for the fourth day this week, causing some local officials to worry that South Carolina may have reopened too soon.
The county reported 21 cases, pushing its total number of cases to 557, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Since the pandemic started, York County has added more cases within the four-day span than it has ever added in a week, according to official state numbers.
S.C. Rep. John King, D-Rock Hill, said his office receives daily reports of the positive case tests and he is “deeply troubled and concerned” by the 20-plus daily report in York County this week.
“These numbers should show anyone regardless of their politics that this pandemic is real,” he said. “It is not a hoax, and it is affecting the people of York County at higher and higher numbers every day.”
King said the decision to reopen much of the private sector was likely premature and has led to the increase in positive cases.
“Just because some in the state government say it is safe to reopen and go back to almost what it was like before this pandemic, doesn’t mean it is safe for people,” King said. “You have to look at the numbers. Cases are going up. The cases are higher now than ever in our state and in York County, and daily totals are the highest yet.”
DHEC identified 687 new cases of COVID-19 across the state Thursday, marking the highest number of cases reported to date. Based on the DHEC’s count, there now have been 16,441 cases reported in South Carolina.
Gov. Henry McMaster lifted restrictions initially put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. People can eat at restaurants, shop at retail stores, and go to public beaches and boat docks. He said Wednesday he has no plans to close businesses again or require South Carolinians to wear masks, despite the record number of cases. The state epidemiologist declared Wednesday she’s more concerned than ever about the rate the virus is spreading in South Carolina.
“If closing all the businesses were the answer, then the places that have done that would be doing great,” he said. “But they’re not. That’s not the answer.”
It’s up to South Carolinians to wear masks and socially distance from each other in order to stop the spread of the virus, he said.
“At this point, the answer is individual responsibility, not mandates from the government,” McMaster said.
Bell pointed out at the press conference Wednesday that the percentage of positive tests has gone up in the last week, which indicates officials “are detecting more sick people in the population.” Thursday, about 14% of tests done across the state were positive. In March and April, the average was about 9%.
“We’re all eager to return to our normal lives or what our new normal will be, but it will take us that much longer to get there if we don’t stop the virus today,” Bell said. “It doesn’t take hard data to observe that many people across the state aren’t social distancing and aren’t avoiding group gatherings and aren’t using masks in public.”
And King echoed Bell’s concerns. He said cases reported over the past two weeks have shown that some people in communities around the state are not social distancing, refuse to wear masks in public, and are not looking out for the health of others through their social interactions.
“I urge people to take their safety, their family’s safety and their community’s safety seriously,” King said. “This pandemic is not close to being over.”
More free testing
York, Chester, and Lancaster counties opened free coronavirus testing sites over the past three weeks, which led to an increase in reported cases, officials said. It remains unclear if those testing sites will continue, but local leaders in all three counties have said they want to extend the testing dates if the number of cases continue to rise.
King, the sole black member of the York County legislative delegation, said the free testing sites that he and S.C. Sen. Mike Fanning, D-Fairfield, worked to get in York, Chester and Lancaster counties need to continue next week and beyond.
“People in several counties, including ours, have not had sufficient free testing opportunities,” King said. “I will continue to push for the General Assembly to make testing available this summer in our communities that have been overlooked or underserved.”
York City Council member Steve Love, an executive with the western York County NAACP and South Carolina NAACP, led the push to get free testing in western York County, which continues Friday at Clinton Chapel AME Zion Church at 302 California Street in York from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We are concerned that the numbers have gone up to the highest levels for York County since the pandemic began,” Love said.
Love said he will push to have free testing continue in York in coming weeks because people need to be tested.
York City Manager Seth Duncan said city officials are talking with officials at Affinity Health, which operates the site in conjunction with the city and York County, about continuing the free testing.
In Lancaster County, more than 225 people were tested Wednesday at a free testing site at Steele Hill AME Zion Church, whichwas hosted by the Medical University of South Carolina, Player said.
Those tested included dozens of national guard members who were assisting the public in other areas of the state in recent weeks.
That free testing site at Steele Hill AME Zion Church will be open Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church is at 6021 Charlotte Highway, between the city of Lancaster and the Indian Land area.
“We strongly urge people to utilize this free testing service,” Player said.
Chester City Council member Angela Douglas said almost 900 residents were tested in four days of testing in the past two weeks. If numbers continue to go up in Chester County, Douglas said she will push for at least one more testing date.
Postponed county reopenings
Lancaster County officials also are “very concerned” about the recent jump in cases in the county and surrounding counties, such as York and Mecklenburg, where many residents work, said Darren Player, Lancaster County Emergency Management Director.
The county added 10 new cases Thursday, for a total of 232 since the pandemic started, according to DHEC.
Lancaster County officials have postponed the county’s third reopening phase set for Monday because of the spike, Player said.
County officials will revisit the reopening date next week as testing numbers come in, Player said.
“We will look again at where we are and then determine when to re-open more services,’ Player said.
Chester County Supervisor Shane Stuart said county officials in Chester decided Thursday not to reopen the county government until at least June 29 after the recent spike of cases.
This week’s record number of cases, plus state officials conceding that some in the public are not conforming to social distancing, masks and other guidelines, pushed Chester officials to delay the reopening, Stuart said.
“We are trying to mitigate wherever we can,” Stuart said.
The county added three new cases Thursday, for a total of 113 since the pandemic started, according to DHEC.
Eddie Murphy, Chester County Emergency Management Director, said he agreed with the decision to keep most county services closed until at least the end of June. Murphy has been vocal for weeks about the lack of social distancing and mask wearing among members of the public.
“We have some in our communities who just refuse to follow these guidelines,” Murphy said. “And the numbers across the state and locally show what happens when those guidelines aren’t followed. Cases go up.”
COVID-19 deaths
Thursday, DHEC also reported 13 more deaths across the state as a result of the virus. Based on DHEC’s count, there now have been 588 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 now has confirmed seven coronavirus-related deaths in the county. Deese did not release any more details about the death.
As of Thursday, DHEC has confirmed six deaths in Lancaster County. DHEC has reported 10 coronavirus-related deaths in York County and one in Chester County.
Hospitals across the state are at about 73% capacity. Thursday, DHEC officials said, of the 7,614 beds currently used across the state, 594 beds are occupied by coronavirus patients or those who are suspected of having it.
Coronavirus cases by ZIP code
As of Wednesday night, there are cases in the following ZIP codes:
York County
- 29704 - 6
- 29708 - 57
- 29710 - 77
- 29715 - 67
- 29717 - 3
- 29730 - 130
- 29732 - 155
- 29745 - 44
Lancaster County
- 29058 - 10
- 29067 - 20
- 29707 - 45
- 29720 - 173
Chester County
- 29014 - 12
- 29055 - 39
- 29706 - 38
- 29712 - 5
- 29714 - 14
