Coronavirus live updates Sept 26: Myrtle Beach area sees 30 new COVID-19 cases
Coronavirus numbers continued to grow in Horry County with 30 additional cases Saturday.
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control officials say the Myrtle Beach area has seen a total of 9,991 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started in mid-March.
There have been 185 deaths in Horry County from coronavirus. No new deaths were announced Saturday.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Sept. 26:
In Georgetown County, the total number of coronavirus cases sits at 1,763. There have also been 36 deaths.
South Carolina has a total of 141,338 coronavirus cases since the pandemic started in March. There have also been 3,141 deaths across the state.
Cases drop at CCU
The number of positive coronavirus cases at Coastal Carolina University decreased compared to the previous week for the first time in four weeks.
The school announced 27 new cases Friday in the week from Sept. 17-23, all among students.
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 82 on Sept. 16 before the precipitous drop this week.
The university has registered a total of 292 cases, including 269 among students, since testing began on June 8 when athletes began returning to campus for workouts.
CCU also reported 39 students in isolation for positive tests and 72 in quarantine through contact tracing on Wednesday, which was down from 81 in isolation and 150 in quarantine last week.
The positive test results are the combined totals of all university symptomatic testing – the general student population is being tested only when students request a test because they are symptomatic – regular surveillance testing results of student-athletes per NCAA guidelines, including at least weekly testing for in-season athletes, and positive test results reported by students, employees, and school affiliates.
Coastal is leasing off-campus housing properties in four-month increments to isolate students who have tested positive.
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.
