Coronavirus updates for Jan. 11: Here’s what to know in South Carolina this week
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back each week for updates.
More than 11,000 new COVID cases in SC last week
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday, Jan. 10, reported 11,030 COVID-19 cases for the week ending Jan. 7 and 48 coronavirus-related deaths for the week ending Dec. 31.
The counts include probable and confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.
An estimated 1.7 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and more than 18,900 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials. Data shows COVID-19 cases are up 4% compared with this time last week.
As of Jan. 10, about 684 people in the state were hospitalized with the coronavirus (with 54 hospitals reporting), including 84 patients being treated in intensive care, according to the latest totals.
The omicron subvariant BA.5 accounted for about 83% of COVID-19 strains identified in South Carolina for the week ending Dec. 24, data shows. 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.
Nearly 54% of eligible South Carolina residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and nearly 62% have received at least one dose, the latest vaccination data shows.
Masking encouraged as COVID cases surge across Pee Dee
A surge in COVID-19 cases across the 12-county Pee Dee region and beyond prompted a message from state health officials encouraging residents to mask up in hopes of slowing the spread, The Sun News reported.
State health data shows high transmission rates across the region with moderate spread in 23 other South Carolina counties, according to the newspaper. As of Jan. 4, COVID-19 cases in Horry County jumped about 11% compared with the previous week.
“We are seeing significant increases in COVID-19 cases across our state, and we know there are a lot more cases that aren’t being reported due to the use of nonreportable home tests,” Brannon Traxler, public health director for South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control, said in a statement.
To learn more, read the full story here.
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