Coronavirus update: Lancaster adds nearly 50 cases in one day, 2 more die from virus
Lancaster County has added its highest increase in daily coronavirus cases reported to date during the pandemic, South Carolina health officials announced Tuesday.
The county reported 46 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, for a total of 950 cases, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control. The previous high was 29 on June 30, according to official state numbers.
Lancaster County Emergency Management Director Darren Player said the highest single-day total reported Tuesday, along with the higher case counts added over the past weeks, has concerned officials that community spread is causing the spike in cases.
Results from testing last week had been delayed, so officials are checking to see if Tuesday’s jump in cases is a result of delayed reporting or community spread — or both, Player said.
“Either way, if it is test results coming in or community spread, we are concerned when we see high numbers daily and then the highest single day count,” Player said. “Our numbers are still lower than the counties around us — York County in South Carolina, and Mecklenburg and Union in North Carolina — but we have so many commuters who go to those counties for work.”
Across the state, DHEC identified 1,573 new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total reported infections to 83,720. Officials also reported that an additional 52 South Carolinians have died as a result of the virus, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,505.
Health officials announced that two elderly individuals died respectively in York and Lancaster counties after contracting the virus. The York County resident died Sunday and the Lancaster County resident died July 22, according to DHEC. Based on DHEC’s definition, an elderly individual is older than 65.
Based on DHEC’s count, there have been 25 coronavirus-related deaths in York County and 18 deaths in Lancaster County. In the last seven days, health officials have reported nine deaths in York County.
York County added 69 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, according to DHEC. The county has had a total of 2,921 confirmed cases, according to DHEC. In five of the last seven days, the county has reported more than 50 cases a day.
Chester County added 13 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, and now has had a total of 477 cases confirmed since the pandemic started, according to DHEC.
Testing and hospitalizations
The percentage of tests that come back positive — another indicator of the coronavirus’ spread — has been rising over the last month, according to DHEC officials.
On Monday, 8,689 tests were conducted statewide, with about 18% having positive results, DHEC reported. In May, at its lowest point, the percentage of positive tests ranged from 2% to 4% on average.
Since March, labs across the state have completed 723,260 tests.
Of the 1,119 intensive care unit beds in use across the state on Tuesday 401 were occupied by coronavirus patients or those who are suspected of having COVID-19. That means that about 36% of ICU beds in use are being filled by likely COVID-19 patients.
Of those patients, 256 were on ventilators, according to DHEC.
Hospitals in York County are at 65% capacity, with 232 of the 348 beds currently in use, according to DHEC. And Lancaster County hospitals are at about 66% capacity, with 68 of 103 beds currently in use.
Cases by ZIP code
As of Monday night, there are cases in the following ZIP codes:
York County
▪ 29704 - 42
▪ 29708 - 315
▪ 29710 - 337
▪ 29715 - 351
▪ 29717 - 10
▪ 29730 - 709
▪ 29732 - 714
▪ 29745 - 326
Lancaster County
▪ 29058 - 37
▪ 29067 - 86
▪ 29707 - 195
▪ 29720 - 674
Chester County
▪ 29014 - 30
▪ 29055 - 86
▪ 29706 - 270
▪ 29712 - 19
▪ 29714 - 42
This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 4:27 PM.
