Fort Mill schools add first COVID cases. Plus the latest for Rock Hill, Clover, York.
.jpg "Tidelands Health medical professionals conduct a drive-through COVID-19 testing site Friday morning at Myrtle Beach Pelicans Ballpark. At least 63,880 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina, and 1,053 have died, according to state health officials. Public health officials reported 1,842 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 69 new confirmed deaths from the virus Thursday, the highest single-day death total DHEC has recorded since the pandemic began.")
The Fort Mill School District reported its first COVID-19 cases, as others add up in York, Lancaster and Chester counties.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control updated its coronavirus count on Friday for public, private and charter schools. The data shows student cases at Fort Mill High School and Doby’s Bridge Elementary School, and staff cases at Pleasant Knoll Elementary School.
Clover High School now has six student positive cases, most among area schools. Clover Middle School also added fewer than five cases.
The Learning Center in Chester County, part of the public school district there, registered fewer than five student cases.
Indian Land High School recorded its first cases in Lancaster County, at fewer than five students.
Only the York School District went without a case in the tri-county area.
Private schools also reported their first area cases. Hawthorne Christian Academy in Chester County and Lake Pointe Christian Academy in York County each reported fewer than five positive tests among students.
The state reports cases as fewer than five until they exceed that amount to prevent identification of students and staff.
Rock Hill school data
Rock Hill was the first of what could be several area districts to begin releasing its own coronavirus case data that’s more detailed than what the state publishes. Rock Hill school numbers update daily and include quarantine and isolation cases, along with positive tests, by schools.
As of Friday afternoon there were confirmed student COVID-19 cases — one each — at Rock Hill and Northwestern high schools, along with Castle Heights and Sullivan middle schools. There also were four confirmed staff cases. There were two at Mount Gallant and one at Mount Holly Elementary Schools, plus one at Rock Hill High.
Rock Hill has 44 students and 13 staff members in quarantine. There are 36 students and 12 staff in isolation.
The Rock Hill-specific data is real time, so cases will appear and then drop off the site when the person involved clears quarantine. DHEC figures, in contrast, are cumulative.
Fort Mill COVID numbers
Fort Mill joined Rock Hill on Friday in releasing its own new statistics. The Fort Mill COVID-19 dashboard shows the same information as the Rock Hill site, but for Fort Mill schools.
There are three student and four staff positive tests thus far. Fort Mill High School has one positive, as do Doby’s Bridge and Fort Mill elementary schools. Catawba Ridge High School, both Pleasant Knoll middle and elementary schools, and the district maintenance department each have a staff positive.
The district has 26 students and 16 staff in quarantine.
York, Lancaster, Chester COVID cases
Overall COVID-19 cases in York, Lancaster and Chester counties ended on a higher note for the work week, with figures on Friday up across all three counties.
The 51 cases in York County is the highest figure there in eight days, more than double the cases of any day in the past five. Lancaster County had 17 confirmed and two probable cases, more confirmed cases than the prior three days combined. Chester County added 10 confirmed cases, its highest figure since Sept. 4.
One coronavirus death was reported, the Sept. 9 death of an elderly York County resident.
Statewide there were 951 new confirmed and 16 probable COVID-19 cases announced Friday, with 53 confirmed and one probable death. There have now been more than 129,000 confirmed or probable cases in South Carolina, with 2,877 confirmed and 151 probable deaths.
