Coronavirus live updates for Oct. 16: CCU cases remain low as virus spreads in Horry
Horry County added 53 coronavirus cases to its count Friday according to state health officials, as the area continues to experience an increase in positive tests over the past two weeks following a significant decrease.
Horry County dipped below 200 cases from Sept. 28-Oct. 4 for the largest weekly drop in four months.
But cases have been on the rise in October, and in the week from Saturday through Friday there have been 557 positive cases. An unofficial shag dancing event in North Myrtle Beach is now linked to at least 14 cases, The Sun News reported.
Since the pandemic began in mid-March, the county has recorded 10,919 positive tests and 190 deaths from COVID-19, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
DHEC’s daily news release shows 55 new cases Friday, but the department’s map displays an increase of 53 from Thursday’s numbers. Officials have said the map is more accurate.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Oct. 16:
Georgetown County cases have grown to 1,836 since the beginning of the pandemic with the addition of 10 cases Friday, and 35 deaths, DHEC reports.
Across South Carolina, 155,799 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and the virus has killed 3,405 people in the state since mid-March, according to DHEC data.
CCU cases remain low
For the fourth consecutive week, the number of positive coronavirus cases recorded among students at Coastal Carolina University decreased compared to the previous week, according to the school.
The school announced just nine new cases Friday in the week from Oct. 8-14, consisting of five among students, three among staff and one from a university affiliate who was on campus. The university announced nine cases last week as well, which were all 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 for three consecutive weeks, peaking with 82 on Sept. 16. But they’ve been on the decline since, dropping to a total of 59 reported positive cases over the past four weeks combined.
The university has registered a total of 324 cases, including 297 among students, since testing began on June 8 when athletes began returning to campus for workouts.
CCU also reported three students in isolation for positive tests and 11 in quarantine through contact tracing on Wednesday. A total of 224 students in university housing have been released or cleared from isolation, and 353 have been cleared from quarantine.
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 Sun Belt Conference and 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 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.
Approximately 3,800 students moved into university housing between Aug. 12 and Sept. 4, according to CCU vice president for auxiliary services Steve Harrison.
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.
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 3:02 PM.
