276 new cases of COVID-19 in SC, no new deaths reported, DHEC says

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THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AT 6:00. I’M JOE RIPLEY. BREAKING NEWS OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA. A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS BLOCKED RESTRICTIONS ON CHURCHES, NOW ALLOWING PEOPLE TO WORSHIP INSIDE. IT COMES DAYS AFTER SEVERAL CHURCHES AND PASTORS FILED A LAWSUIT. THEY ARGUED THE LIMITS VIOLATE THEIR RIGHTS TO WORSHIP FREELY. THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE SAID LARGE GATHERINGS COULD BECOME HOT SPOT U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE JAMES DEVER RULED IN FAVOR OF THE CHURCHES HE GRANTED A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, SAYING IN PART, THE COURT DOESN’T DOUBT THE GOVERNOR IS ACTING IN GO FAITH TO LESSEN THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, BUT RESTRICTIONS APPLIED TO ONE GROUP AND EXEMPTED FROM ANOTHER DO LITTLE TO FURTHER THOSE GOALS AND DO MUCH TO BURDEN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IS NOT PLANNING TO APPEAL THE RULING, BUT URGES HOUSES OF WORSHIP TO FOLLOW PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE KEEP THEIR MEMBERS SAFE. THIS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORD LASTS 14 DAYS. LOOKING AT YOUR TOP CORONAVIRUS HEADLINES TONIGHT, THE FDA HAS GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR MEDICAL LABS TO TEST AT HO CORONAVIRUS SAMPLE KITS. HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN SCREEN PATIENTS, THEN SIGN OFF SO THE CAN GET THE AT-HOME TEST FDA OFFICIALS SAY THE AT-HOME KITS PROTECT PEOPLE FROM POTENTIAL EXPOSURE. RIGHT NOW, ONLY ONE TEST IS APPROVED FOR USE. PLUS, VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE HAS ANNOUNCED HE’LL TRAVEL TO FLORIDA THIS WEEK TO TALK WITH GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS ABOUT THEIR REOPENING PLAN. ‘ ’S THE VICE PRESIDENT ALSO EXPECTED TO DELIVER PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND MEET WITH HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM LEADERS. A LOOK AT THE COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. STATE OFFICIALS JUST RELEASE THESE NUMBERS HALF AN HOUR AGO. D-HEC ANNOUNCED 276 NEW CASES OF CORONAVIRUS IN THE STATE BRINGING THE TOTAL TO MORE THAN 8600. GOOD NEWS TO REPORT, NO ADDITIONAL DEATHS WERE REPORTED. OFFICIALS SAY MORE THAN 10,700 TESTS WERE PERFORMED STATEWIDE YESTERDAY. 2.6% OF THOSE TESTS COME BACK POSITIVE OFFICIALS SAY WHEN THAT PERCENTAGE IS LOW, IT MAY INDICATE MORE WIDESPREAD TESTING, WHICH PROVIDES A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE VIRUS IN OUR STATE. AS WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT COVID-19 IS HAVING ON SMALL BUSINESSES, ONE BUSINESS IN TRAVELERS REST IS FIGHTING TO FIND THE SILVER LINING. OUR RENEE WUNDERLICH SPOKE WITH THE OWNER ABOUT THEIR EFFORT TO KEEP BUSINESS AS USUAL. RENEE: AS BUSINESSES REOPEN ACROSS THE STATE, SOME SHOPS MAY BE REEVALUATING THEIR FUTURE. THAT’S THE CASE HERE. THEY WOULD LIKE TO SELL, BUT THEY DON’T WANT TO SELL TO JUS ANYONE. >> THERE’S NO MANUAL FOR COVID-19. WE ALL HAVE TO JUST FIGURE I OUT AND DO THE BEST WE CAN. RENEE: T.R. MERCANTILE IS A COUNTRY STORE THAT OPENED AT THE END OF 2018 IN DOWNTOWN TRAVELER’S REST. JAN FINAMORE IS ONE OF THE OWNERS. >> WE HAVE A COLLECTION OF ABOUT 45 LOCAL ARTISANS. AND ALSO WE BUY PRODUCT LIKE DISH TOWELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO IT IS A GIFT SHOP MAINLY, BUT YOU CAN FIND A LOT OF HOME DECOR AND JUST OTHER REALLY REALLY NEAT AND INTERESTING THINGS YOU WOULDN’T FIND A LOCAL BIG BOX STORE. RENEE: AFTER CLOSING TO KEEP THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFE FROM THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, THE OWNE TRIED TO RAISE THE $5,000 IT COSTS TO RUN A SHOP ON MAIN STREET. THEY GOT TO $3,790. WHICH THEY USED TO COVER APRIL’S EXPENSES. AND WHILE THEY ARE GRATEFUL TO GET A $1,000 DOLLAR SBA LOAN, IT WASN’T NEAR ENOUGH TO PAY THE REST OF THE BILLS. FINAMORE SAYS EARLIER THIS YEAR, THEY WERE NOT LOOKING TO SELL. >> COVID ALLOWS PEOPLE TO TAKE A PAUSE AND JUST TAKE A BREAK AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE AT AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING. WE DECIDED WELL, LET’S SEE IF THERE’S SOMEONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO TAKE UP THE SHO RENEE: HAPPY TO BE REOPENING AND SEEING NEIGHBORS SHOP, FINAMORE IS HOPEFUL THAT THE RIGHT PERS OR PEOPLE WILL BUY THE STORE WITH ITS ECLECTIC COLLECTION AS-IS FOR $49,000. >> WE HAVE A LOT OF LOYA CUSTOMERS WHO ABSOLUTELY LOVE SHOPPING HERE AND I’VE SEEN A FEW TEARS THIS WEEK WITH PEOPLE COMING IN AND SAYING PLEASE DON’T LEAVE. RENEE: IN TRAVELERS REST, RENE WUNDERLICH, WYFF NEWS 4. JOE: NOW THE LATEST COVID-19 NUMBERS FROM NORTH CAROLINA, AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 800 CASES OVERNIGHT AS STATE OFFICIALS S THEY ARE RAMPING UP TESTING. THERE ARE NEARLY 18,000 CONFIRMED CASES IN THE STATE. EARLIER THIS WEEK, OFFICIALS SAY AT LEAST 9,000 PEOPLE HAVE RECOVERE STATE OFFICIALS IN NORTH CAROLINA REPORTED 11 MORE DEATHS AND SAY 481 PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE HOSPITAL. IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY, LEADERS AR WORKING WITH WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES TO OFFER COVID-19 TESTING IN THE COMING WEEKS. THEY’VE GOT THREE EVENTS SCHEDULED THIS WEEK. THE FIRST IS ON TUESDAY IN ASHEVILLE. ON WEDNESDAY AT THE SANDY MU COMMUNITY CENTER IN LEICESTER. AND ON THURSDAY, THEY’LL BE IN THE DEAVERVIEW COMMUNITY IN ASHEVILLE. ALL TESTING EVENTS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 1:00 TO 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. TESTING IS FREE FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS IT. AND YOU DON’T NEED INSURANCE. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A TESTING LOCATION NEAR YOU, APPLE MAPS HAS A NEW FEATURE TO HELP YOU. IF YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU’LL FIND A TAB THAT SAYS COVID-19 TESTING. CLICK ON THE TAB, AND IT’LL SHOW YOU WHERE TESTING SITES ARE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA LOOKING AT THE PEACH STATE NOW, GEORGIA OFFICIALS ARE REPORTING MORE THAN 37,000 CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19. OFFICIALS SAY NEARLY 1600 PEOPLE HAVE PASSED AWAY DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS. MORE THAN 321,000 TESTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SAYING THEY HAVE BEGUN DISTRIBUTING REMDESIVIR TO STATE HOSPITALS. THAT DRUG IS A POTENTIAL TREATMENT FOR COVID-19. THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SAYS THEY GOT 30 CASES OF THE DRUG FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY SAY THAT IS ENOUGH FO ABOUT 110 PEOPLE, DEPENDING ON HOW LONG A PATIENT NEEDS TREATMENT. SEVEN HOSPITALS WILL RECEIVE THE MEDICINE RIGHT NOW. A SECOND SHIPMENT HAS COME IN. OFFICIALS ARE STILL WORKING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WILL GET THE SECOND ROU