Coronavirus live updates Sept. 10: Horry County adds more than 30 cases to its count
Horry County reported 33 new coronavirus cases Thursday, according to public health officials.
That brings the county’s total to 9,550 since the start of the pandemic. There have been 181 people who have died in Horry County because of COVID-19, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The spread of the virus in Horry County has slowed considerably since mask mandates were passed in the area in early July. In June, it wasn’t uncommon to see more than 100 new cases reported daily. Now, those numbers tend to hover between 10-40. Once classified as a “hot spot” with a high incidence rate, Horry County has now dropped to a “moderate” incidence rate, according to DHEC figures.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Sept. 10:
In the Myrtle Beach area, there have been 808 people hospitalized because of coronavirus, according to DHEC data. The average age a hospitalized person is 64 years old.
There have been 78,415 coronavirus tests in Horry County, with 15.1 percent coming back positive.
Georgetown County coronavirus cases reached 1,741 in total. In Georgetown county, 39 people have died of the virus, according to DHEC.
South Carolina’s coronavirus tally jumped to 124,297 Thursday, with 2,823 people in the state dying of the virus. There have been nearly 171,000 COVID-19 tests done completed.
Wash your hands & wear a mask
This is your daily reminder to wash your hands often, wear a mask and practice social distancing.
DHEC asks people to wear a mask when visiting public places and practice social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is now mandatory to wear face masks in certain public areas in unincorporated Horry County, the City of Myrtle Beach, the City of North Myrtle Beach and Georgetown County.
Health officials say washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 2:18 PM.