Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in Horry County, Myrtle Beach on April 19
State Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Georgetown, said he learned from the S.C. Governor’s Office on Saturday that public beach accesses will reopen “by the end of next week.”
Soon after, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster tweeted that he’d spoken to fellow southeastern governors about the potential of getting people back in the workplace while exclaiming “Told them South Carolina was ready.”
All this came a day after the governor allowed boat ramps in the state to reopen after closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Indeed, all signals seem to indicate Horry County, the Myrtle Beach area and the rest of the state may be reopen sooner than many thought, though how and when are unclear at this point.
Here are live updates on COVID-19 in the Myrtle Beach area.
The number of coronavirus cases in Horry County and the Myrtle Beach area continued to rise Saturday, with nine additional cases and two more deaths reported.
The county’s total rose to 176 cases, up from 167 on Friday. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control released the latest data on Sunday afternoon.
There were two new deaths in Horry County as the total increased to 12. Both of those individuals were elderly people with underlying health conditions.
Georgetown County had 32 total cases and two deaths as of Saturday.
In South Carolina, there were 165 new COVID-19 cases Saturday with three deaths, bringing the totals to 4,246 cases and 119 deaths.
The state remains under a “work or home” order that Gov. Henry McMaster issued earlier last week, though the fact boat ramps reopened Friday showed a glimmer of getting back to normal. Health officials also continue to stress the importance of social distancing and handwashing to help slow the spread of the disease.
Today’s takeaways:
Some South Carolina businesses are worried about survival as they wait for a second round of federal aid that is still being debated in Congress.
Small, rural counties in South Carolina are struggling with coronavirus more than big counties in the state are. A lack of adequate testing and protective equipment, poverty that discourages trips to the doctor, relatively few doctors and nurses, higher percentages of people in poor health and limited information about the dangers of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, are among the issues affecting rural areas dealing with the coronavirus.
SC Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday will lift restrictions he placed because of the coronavirus outbreak on some retail stores, according to a source familiar with the governor’s plans.
A void was left Thursday when Horry County Schools suspended its meal program for at least two weeks due to the impact of coronavirus on its staff. Several local organizations are stepping up to help.
The number of coronavirus cases in Horry County and the Myrtle Beach area continued to rise Sunday, with nine additional cases.
The county’s total rose to 185 cases, up from 176 on Saturday. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control released the latest data on Sunday afternoon.
There were no new deaths in Horry County as the total remained at 12.
Georgetown County had 33 total cases, up from 32 on Saturday, and remained at two overall deaths as of Sunday.
In South Carolina, there were 131 new COVID-19 cases Sunday with one death, bringing the totals to 4,377 cases and 120 deaths.
Wash your hands & a smile
This is your daily reminder to wash your hands to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Health officials recommend washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Officials also ask folks to practice social distancing.
This story was originally published April 19, 2020 at 10:33 AM.
