Coronavirus updates for Dec. 21: Here’s what to know in South Carolina this week

Tanasia Kenney
Andrew Harnik/AP

We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back each week for updates.

Nearly 8,000 new COVID cases in SC last week

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday, Dec. 20, reported 7,999 COVID-19 cases for the week ending Dec. 17 and 23 coronavirus-related deaths for the week ending Dec. 10.

The counts include probable and confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.

An estimated 1.76 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and more than 18,800 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials. Data shows COVID-19 cases are up about 15% compared with this time last week.

As of Dec. 20, an average of 414 people in the state were hospitalized with the coronavirus (with 61 hospitals reporting), including 52 patients being treated in intensive care, the latest data shows. On Tuesday, the SCDHE said its weekly COVID hospitalizations reporting would “no longer include data on ventilations and weekly hospital trends.”

The omicron subvariant BA.5 accounted for 95.2% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina for the week ending Dec. 3, according to the latest available data.

The DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory conducts sequencing on randomly chosen samples as part of nationwide efforts to find out about new strains of the virus, the agency’s website reads.

The latest data on statewide coronavirus vaccinations wasn’t available at the time of this report.

You can order another round of at-home COVID tests. Here’s how

Those in need of additional at-home COVID-19 tests can order another round online, according to The White House.

U.S. households are now eligible to receive a set of four new at-home test kits in the mail, the federal government announced Dec. 15. The tests are free of charge and available to order at covidtests.gov.

“COVID cases are rising across America as folks gather for the holidays,” President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter. “That’s why, starting today, every household can order 4 free COVID tests to be shipped straight to your door.”

For more information, read the full story here.

Is it COVID, the flu, RSV or a cold? What your symptoms mean

COVID-19, flu and RSV cases are on the rise, spurring fears of a “tripledemic” as U.S. hospitals see an influx of patients.

The three viruses continue to sicken thousands ahead of the holidays and their similar symptoms may make it difficult for people to differentiate.

For instance, coronavirus and the flu have multiple overlapping symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing and fatigue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Like the flu, RSV can produce symptoms including a stuffy nose, sneezing and cough.

All three also share symptoms with the common cold, which is common from late August through March, health experts say. They include:

  • Low-grade fever

  • Congestion

  • Cough

  • Runny nose

Read the full story here.

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