Coronavirus latest: York adds nearly 50 cases, Lancaster County reports another death
York County has again topped its highest daily number of coronavirus cases reported to date in the pandemic, South Carolina health officials announced.
The county added 46 cases Monday, for a total of 859, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Before Monday, the highest daily number of cases reported in the county was 40, which was confirmed on Saturday.
In five of the last seven days, York County has reported at least 30 new daily cases, a concerning trend to local health officials.
York County Councilman William “Bump” Roddey proposed last week that York County issue a formal recommendation to its 275,000 residents urging them to wear masks in public. Roddey said while the state appears to be the only government entity that can mandate masks, county officials can push residents to protect themselves and others even if state officials will not act.
Monday’s cases should tell people that the pandemic is real and conditions appear to be getting worse, Roddey said.
“We all know there is more testing going on, but this spike in cases, to a point now where we are at record levels almost every day, should show people that they need to wear a mask at all times in public,” Roddey said.
Lancaster County reported another coronavirus-related death Monday. The individual who died as a result of the virus was middle-aged, DHEC officials said.
In the last seven days, the county has reported five new deaths related to the virus. Based on DHEC’s count, the county has had 11 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths.
DHEC identified 1,002 new cases of COVID-19 across the state Monday, pushing the overall total of infections to 25,666 and probable cases to 35.
With the addition of six new deaths related to the virus reported across the state Monday, one of which was in Lancaster County, the state’s death toll is now at 659.
Lancaster County added 13 new cases Monday, for a total of 335, according to DHEC. Chester County reported seven new cases and now has had 146 cases confirmed since the pandemic started, DHEC said.
Lancaster County Administrator Steve Willis said the coronavirus pandemic is not over, and county officials strongly urge residents to wear a mask any time they are out in public.
“I know people are ready to be done with COVID-19 but it is nowhere near done with us,” Willis said. “We are routinely seeing double digit increases daily, with the state hitting one thousand per day. The use of masks, utilizing social distancing, and avoiding crowds are our only defense until a vaccine is widely available, hopefully sometime in 2021.”
Willis and other local officials are waiting to see if nearby Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in North Carolina orders mandatory mask wearing in public. South Carolina state officials have so far refused to consider mandatory masks, Willis said.
On Sunday, 7,971 tests were conducted statewide, with 12.6% having positive results, DHEC reported. Since March, labs across the state have completed 347,193 tests.
Hospitals across the state are at about 68% of capacity. Of the 7,119 beds in use across the state on Monday, DHEC officials said, 731 were occupied by coronavirus patients or those who are suspected of having COVID-19.
Cases by ZIP code
As of Sunday night, there are cases in the following ZIP codes:
York County
- 29704 - 10
- 29708 - 91
- 29710 - 112
- 29715 - 103
- 29717 - 5
- 29730 - 208
- 29732 - 215
- 29745 - 83
Lancaster County
- 29058 - 10
- 29067 - 33
- 29707 - 65
- 29720 - 248
Chester County
- 29014 - 14
- 29055 - 45
- 29706 - 53
- 29712 - 9
- 29714 - 17
