Coronavirus live updates Sept. 18: SC officials release latest case data for Horry County
Coronavirus cases continue to rise in the Myrtle Beach area with 27 new infections reported on Friday.
The South Carolina Department of Health of Environmental released the latest case data for Horry County that showed a total of 9,844 coronavirus cases since the pandemic started in mid-March.
Horry County has also seen 183 coronavirus-related deaths.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Sept. 18:
In Horry County, health officials have done more than 82,500 COVID-19 tests. About 16 percent of all tests have returned positive results, according to DHEC data.
There has also been 818 hospitalizations of Myrtle Beach area residents. The average age of a person’s hospitalized is 64 years old, according to DHEC data. Roughly 52 percent of all hospitalizations in Horry County are men.
Georgetown County now has a total of 1,771 coronavirus cases, with 42 deaths, according to DHEC data.
In South Carolina there has been 133,310 total COVID-19 cases and 3,010 deaths.
Cases rise at CCU
The number of positive coronavirus cases at Coastal Carolina University increased for the third consecutive week.
The school announced 82 new cases Friday in the week from Sept. 10-16, consisting of 79 students and three staff/faculty members.
After announcing just three cases for the week of Aug. 20-26 – weekly test numbers are through 5 p.m. Wednesdays – the cases increased to 56 on Sept. 2, 61 on Sept. 9 and now 82 on Wednesday.
The university has registered a total of 265 cases, including 242 among students, since testing began on June 8 when athletes began returning to campus for workouts.
CCU now has a weekly high of 101 students in isolation and 183 in quarantine.
Coastal is leasing off-campus housing properties in four-month increments to isolate students who have tested positive, and the number of available beds is elastic and can be increased as needed, according to Martha Hunn, CCU Associate Vice President and Chief Communication Officer.
The fall semester began on Aug. 19 with online classes and in-person classes on campus began Sept. 8, though students have the option of either form of learning until the Thanksgiving break.
More than 4,000 students were expected to move into university housing between Aug. 12 and Sept. 4, with the bulk of them moving in between Aug. 12-16 and the second wave arriving on Sept. 3-4.
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.
