Lancaster County adds 25th death, and more coronavirus cases than York in one day
For the second day this week, York County reported fewer than 30 new coronavirus cases, South Carolina health officials said.
York County reported 26 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, which is one of the lowest daily case counts since June, according to official state numbers. The county now has had 3,670 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic in March, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
On Monday, York County added 21 cases. The last time the county reported fewer than 30 cases in one day was on July 5, with 25, according to DHEC. In July, York County averaged about 60 cases a day.
DHEC officials said 907 more people tested positive for the virus across the state Thursday, marking the fourth consecutive day that cases have not surpassed 1,000. That brought the total number of South Carolinians diagnosed with the virus to 103,051.
The agency also announced that 35 more people, including a Lancaster County resident, have died after contracting COVID-19, bringing the death toll up to 2,089.
The person from Lancaster County was between the age of 35 and 64, and died July 22, according to DHEC. Based on DHEC’s count, there have been 25 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the county.
In the last 10 days, health officials have reported seven deaths in Lancaster county. In the entire month of July, the county had seven.
In the last week, Lancaster County’s cases also have jumped. The county added 31 new cases Thursday, which is the second highest daily case count added in the county in the pandemic, according to DHEC. The county’s highest case count is 46, which was reported on July 28, according to state numbers.
Lancaster County now has had 1,264 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic, according to DHEC.
Lancaster County Administrator Steve Willis said county officials are concerned about the high numbers. With about a third of the population, Lancaster County had more positive cases Thursday than York County.
“It is always a concern when our cases are among the highest for a single day in all the months of the pandemic,” Willis said. “Our active cases — cases where people still have the disease — we are not seeing a drop, either.”
About 70% of the county’s cases are in the 29720 ZIP code, which starts south of Lancaster and extends north along U.S. 521 into Indian Land and across the width of the county.
Cases in Chester County topped 700 this week. The county added seven cases, for a total of 711 confirmed since the pandemic started, according to DHEC.
Additionally, four employees at the Chester County jail have tested positive for coronavirus, officials said Thursday.
Masks are helping
DHEC released new data Wednesday that shows local mask requirements are curbing the spread of coronavirus.
According to DHEC’s report, areas with mask mandates have had, on average, a 15.1% decrease in the total number of cases reported in the four weeks after the requirement was enacted. Those areas had an overall decrease of 34.6 cases per 100,000 people, DHEC officials said.
However, areas without mask mandates have had, on average, a 30% increase in the total number of cases. Those areas had an overall increase of 24.1 cases per 100,000 people, officials said.
Testing and hospitalizations
Another indicator of the coronavirus’ spread is the percentage of tests that turn up positive each day. In recent weeks, the percentage of positive tests averaged 18%-20%.
On Wednesday, 5,762 tests were conducted statewide, with about 16% having positive results. That’s a higher rate than the percentage averaged in March and early April, DHEC reported. In May, at its lowest point, the percentage of positive tests averaged 2%-4%.
Since March, labs across the state have completed 864, 186 tests.
The number of hospitalized coronavirus patients peaked at more than 1,700 on July 23 and has slightly decreased since.
Of the 1,322 people hospitalized across the state with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, 323 are in intensive care and, of those, 201 are on ventilators, state health officials said Wednesday.
Only 1,818 of the state’s 10,267 total inpatient beds are available, meaning 82.3% of the state’s beds are in use.
In York County, hospitals have even less available space. In York County, 86% of beds are occupied. In Lancaster County, 74% of beds are in use.
Where to get tested
On Saturday, Affinity Health Center will have free curbside testing at York Technical College in Rock Hill from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to a press release from the center. Testing is available to anyone with or without symptoms, the release said.
Cases by ZIP code
As of Wednesday night, there are cases in the following ZIP codes:
York County
▪ 29704 - 51
▪ 29708 - 368
▪ 29710 - 418
▪ 29715 - 437
▪ 29717 - 16
▪ 29730 - 914
▪ 29732 - 881
▪ 29745 - 405
Lancaster County
▪ 29058 - 55
▪ 29067 - 123
▪ 29707 - 246
▪ 29720 - 885
Chester County
▪ 29014 - 41
▪ 29055 - 108
▪ 29706 - 441
▪ 29712 - 25
▪ 29714 - 50
