On Tuesday (Oct. 20) the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reported 666 new confirmed cases and 66 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. DHEC also 25 additional confirmed deaths and 10 new probable deaths.
Anderson County reported 32 new cases and one death related to COVID.
Greenville County reported 80 new cases and two deaths related to COVID.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases since the first case was reported March 6 to 158,747, probable cases to 6,746, confirmed deaths to 3,475, and 221 probable deaths.
All DHEC-sponsored and DHEC-operated COVID-19 testing currently uses the shallow, anterior nares collection procedure. This is a shallow, pain-free specimen collection, compared to the deep nasopharyngeal procedure. The shallow nasal test provided by DHEC is not self-administered; the specimen is collected by trained staff.
As of yesterday, a total of 1,780,885 tests have been conducted in the state. The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 4,952 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 13.4%.
Yesterday, Oct. 19, the federal TeleTracking system that hospitals use for reporting daily census and other information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services implemented several reporting changes. Hospitals are working to adjust to these federal updates, resulting in incomplete and incorrect hospital reporting for today, Oct. 20. DHEC will resume providing the Hospital Bed Occupancy information when hospitals in South Carolina (and in other states) resolve issues with the TeleTracking changes, which is anticipated to be tomorrow, Oct. 21.
