Coronavirus live updates for Oct. 26: Hospitalizations spike as Horry adds 3 deaths

Coronavirus cases in Horry County grew by 16 Monday as health officials confirmed three more deaths from the virus.

Officials have confirmed 11,424 coronavirus cases in Horry County since the beginning of the pandemic, and 204 people have died of the virus, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Monday’s caseload is a relatively low daily total, with most days in recent weeks bringing in more than 50 cases.

DHEC’s daily news release shows 18 new cases Monday. The department’s map, which officials have said is most accurate, indicates a jump of 16 from Sunday’s total.

Of the three new deaths, two people were middle-aged and one was elderly, according to DHEC.

As of Sunday, the county’s hospital occupancy rate has reached 85.5%, according to DHEC, with Tidelands Health warning of a “dramatic spike” in hospitalizations this week. COVID-19 hospitalizations have reached 34 across Tidelands hospitals as of Monday morning, a stark contrast to the seven hospitalizations recorded Oct. 1, the company said in a news release.

The spike in hospitalizations comes as five deaths and 20 positive tests have been reported in people who attended an unofficial shag dancing event in North Myrtle Beach last month.

Tidelands officials also urged people to take precautions when celebrating the upcoming Halloween holiday.

“Finally, community members planning to celebrate Halloween this weekend should take extra precautions,” the release reads. “If planning to hand out candy, be sure to avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters, distribute the treats outdoors and, of course, wash your hands before handling treats and wear a face mask. Consider setting up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take to avoid direct contact.”

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Oct. 26:

Georgetown County cases have reached 1,938 since mid-March, DHEC reports. The county has recorded 39 deaths of COVID-19 thus far in the pandemic.

Across the state, health officials have confirmed 163,946 cases of the coronavirus and 3,587 deaths. After reporting 6,158 Sunday, 12.3% tested positive, DHEC reports.

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 the City of Myrtle Beach, the City of North Myrtle Beach and Georgetown County.

This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 2:02 PM.