SHE JOINS US LIVE NOW. RENEE? RENEE: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE HEAD HERE AT THE NORTH AMERICA HEADQUARTERS AT MICHELIN SAY THIS IS A WAY THEY CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, ESPECIALLY AS EVERYONE IS GEARING UP TO REOPEN SCHOOLS SAFELY. HEALTH OFFICIALS FROM THE STATE GATHERED HERE TODAY IS ALYSSA SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, AND THEY ARE CALLING ON EVERYONE TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS, CONTINUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE, WASH THEIR HANDS AND AVOID LARGE GROUPS. >> THIS IS USUALLY THE HAPPIEST TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN THOSE KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL. PARENTS ARE HAPPY, THE CHILDREN ARE EXCITED, THE BUSINESSES ARE EXCITED BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS BUYING SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND IT IS A GREAT TIME OF THE YEAR. BUT THIS YEAR, IT IS FILLED WITH SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY. THAT CAN CHANGE IF WE WOULD JUST DO OUR PART AND LISTEN TO DR. BELL AND OTHERS, PUT ON YOUR MASK. RENEE: FOR 50,000 MASKS ARE GOING TO DHEC IN AN EFFORT THAT EVERYONE WILL BUY THEM SO THAT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS CAN GO BACK TO A SAFE, CLEAN ENVIRONMENT. LATER TODAY, I WAS ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS HERE AT MICHELIN, BUT ALSO THE UPSTATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND THE STATE EDUCATION SECRETARY. HER APPROACH TO THE GOVERNOR’S REQUEST ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE VERSUS WHAT SHE SAYS SHE IS GOING TO DO AND HER MESSAGE TO TEACHERS IS ALL COMIN
2 Upstate children among new cases of coronavirus in South Carolina, DHEC says
(Above video was from a news conference Thursday morning.)The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced Thursday 1,538 new confirmed cases and five new probable cases of COVID-19, as well as two Upstate children.DHEC also confirmed 49 additional confirmed deaths and no new probable deaths.This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 76,315, probable cases to 291, confirmed deaths to 1,294, and 40 probable deaths.The two additional cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 are both children age 10 or under from the Upstate. This brings the total number of MIS-C cases in South Carolina to four. Learn more about MIS-C here.Confirmed and probable cases: please click here.Confirmed and probable deaths: please click here. Testing in South CarolinaAs of yesterday, a total of 669,445 tests have been conducted in the state. See a detailed breakdown of tests in South Carolina on the Data and Projections webpage. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week, and the Public Health Laboratory’s current time frame for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.Percent Positive Test Trends among Reported COVID-19 CasesThe total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 7,360 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 20.9%.More than 65 Mobile Testing Clinics Scheduled StatewideAs part of DHEC’s ongoing efforts to increase testing in underserved and rural communities across the state, the department is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics that bring testing to these communities. Currently, there are 67 mobile testing events scheduled through Aug. 15 with new testing events added regularly. Find a mobile testing clinic event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics.Residents can also get tested at one of 182 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Visit scdhec.gov/covid19testing for more information.Hospital Bed OccupancyToday’s news release includes the first hospital reporting using the new TeleTracking system. As hospitals acclimate to this new federally required reporting system, the accuracy of the data is expected to improve.*DHEC is aware that at least one hospital system had an issue in reporting data in the new system, which should be corrected in its reporting for tomorrow.Based on today’s TeleTracking report, as of yesterday:4,425* total hospital beds are available and 7,998* are in use; a 64.38%* statewide total hospital bed utilization rate Of the 7,998* total beds currently used, 1,723* are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19 Of 1,458* ventilators, 532* are in use and 241* of those are COVID-19 patientsPer federal requirements, hospitals are actively transitioning between the systems used for reporting hospital bed and ICU occupancy, ventilator usage, patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and other key information. DHEC issued a Public Health Order supporting this transition on July 15, the day after the federal announcement was made that hospitals will transition from using the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) to the TeleTracking system.*As new information is provided to the department, some changes in cases may occur. Cases are reported based on the person’s county of residence, as it is provided to the department. DHEC’s COVID-19 map will adjust to reflect any reclassified cases.Additional coronavirus resources: · Latest update on coronavirus cases, latest headlines in Carolinas, Georgia· Sign up for WYFF News 4 coronavirus daily newsletter
COLUMBIA, S.C. —
(Above video was from a news conference Thursday morning.)
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced Thursday 1,538 new confirmed cases and five new probable cases of COVID-19, as well as two Upstate children.
DHEC also confirmed 49 additional confirmed deaths and no new probable deaths.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 76,315, probable cases to 291, confirmed deaths to 1,294, and 40 probable deaths.
The two additional cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 are both children age 10 or under from the Upstate. This brings the total number of MIS-C cases in South Carolina to four. Learn more about MIS-C here.
Confirmed and probable cases: please click here.
Confirmed and probable deaths: please click here.
Testing in South Carolina
As of yesterday, a total of 669,445 tests have been conducted in the state. See a detailed breakdown of tests in South Carolina on the Data and Projections webpage. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week, and the Public Health Laboratory’s current time frame for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.
Percent Positive Test Trends among Reported COVID-19 Cases
The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 7,360 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 20.9%.
More than 65 Mobile Testing Clinics Scheduled Statewide
As part of DHEC’s ongoing efforts to increase testing in underserved and rural communities across the state, the department is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics that bring testing to these communities. Currently, there are 67 mobile testing events scheduled through Aug. 15 with new testing events added regularly. Find a mobile testing clinic event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics.
Residents can also get tested at one of 182 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Visit scdhec.gov/covid19testing for more information.
Hospital Bed Occupancy
Today’s news release includes the first hospital reporting using the new TeleTracking system. As hospitals acclimate to this new federally required reporting system, the accuracy of the data is expected to improve.
*DHEC is aware that at least one hospital system had an issue in reporting data in the new system, which should be corrected in its reporting for tomorrow.
Based on today’s TeleTracking report, as of yesterday:
- 4,425* total hospital beds are available and 7,998* are in use; a 64.38%* statewide total hospital bed utilization rate
- Of the 7,998* total beds currently used, 1,723* are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19
- Of 1,458* ventilators, 532* are in use and 241* of those are COVID-19 patients
Per federal requirements, hospitals are actively transitioning between the systems used for reporting hospital bed and ICU occupancy, ventilator usage, patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and other key information. DHEC issued a Public Health Order supporting this transition on July 15, the day after the federal announcement was made that hospitals will transition from using the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) to the TeleTracking system.
*As new information is provided to the department, some changes in cases may occur. Cases are reported based on the person’s county of residence, as it is provided to the department. DHEC’s COVID-19 map will adjust to reflect any reclassified cases.
Additional coronavirus resources:
· Latest update on coronavirus cases, latest headlines in Carolinas, Georgia
