FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 266 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 4 additional deaths.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 11,394 and those who have died to 487.

Three of the deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Clarendon (1) and Williamsburg (2) counties, and one of the deaths occurred in a middle-aged individual from Florence county.

The number of new cases by county are listed below. Aiken (3), Bamberg (1), Barnwell (1), Beaufort (16), Berkeley (2), Calhoun (3), Charleston (23), Chester (12), Chesterfield (12), Clarendon (6), Colleton (8), Darlington (8), Dillon (6), Dorchester (3), Fairfield (6), Florence (6), Greenville (9), Greenwood (1), Horry (7), Jasper (2), Kershaw (5), Lancaster (1), Laurens (2), Lee (5), Lexington (29), Marlboro (12), Newberry (5), Orangeburg (13), Pickens (2), Richland (25), Saluda (2), Spartanburg (1), Sumter (13), Williamsburg (4), York (12)

Testing in South Carolina As of May 29, a total of 199,735 total tests have been conducted in the state (by both DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory and private labs). DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week. The Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.

Over 100 Mobile Testing Clinics Scheduled Statewide As part of our ongoing efforts to increase testing in underserved and rural communities across the state, DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics that bring testing to these communities. Currently, there are 103 mobile testing events scheduled through July 2 with new testing events added regularly. Find a mobile testing clinic event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics.

Additionally, there are currently 162 permanent testing locations at health care facilities throughout the state. These testing sites can be found at scdhec.gov/covid19testing. 

Percent Positive Test Trends among Reported COVID-19 Cases  As South Carolina increases testing, there will likely be more laboratory-confirmed cases. The total number of individuals tested yesterday statewide was 4,917 and the percent positive was 5.4%. When the percent positive is low, it may indicate that more widespread testing is being performed and the percent positive may more accurately reflect how much disease is present in the community.

Hospital Bed Occupancy As of this morning, 3,419 inpatient hospital beds are available and 6,964 are in use, which is a 67.07% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 6,964 inpatient beds currently used, 387 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.

Stephen Colbert Encourages South Carolinians to #StaySCStrong Stephen Colbert joined DHEC today to encourage South Carolinians to continue to do their part to help slow the spread of COVID-19. As part of DHEC’s #StaySCStrong influencer campaign, Colbert and other fellow prominent South Carolinians are sharing educational video messages on steps residents can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. The PSAs are available to view and share here.

How South Carolinians Can Protect Themselves Evidence is increasing about the high rates of infection in people who do not have symptoms and don’t know they are infectious. This places everyone at risk of getting the virus or unknowingly transmitting it to someone else. Steps we can take to protect ourselves and others include:

• Practicing social distancing
• Wearing a mask in public
• Avoiding touching frequently touched items
• Regularly washing your hands
• Monitoring for symptoms

Anyone with concerns about their health should reach out to their healthcare provider or use the telehealth services provided by several health care systems. To find a testing location near you, visit scdhec.gov/covid19testing. Visit scdmh.net for stress, anxiety and mental health resources from the S.C. Department of Mental Health. 

*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.

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