Coronavirus live updates for Oct. 27: Horry County reports nearly 80 new cases

Horry County added 78 coronavirus cases to its total count Tuesday, health officials announced.

Since mid-March, 11,502 cases and 203 deaths have been recorded in the county, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Horry County’s cases have been surging in recent weeks as Tidelands Health warned of a hospitalization spike with 34 COVID-19 patients Monday compared to seven recorded Oct. 1. The spike comes as Myrtle Beach visitors and residents will continue to be under a mask requirement for at least another month, Mayor Brenda Bethune announced Tuesday.

The mandate is tied to the city’s emergency declaration relating to the pandemic, meaning it’s Bethune’s decision to extend or not. The emergency declaration will last at least another month after Bethune renews it.

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Oct. 27:

Georgetown County cases have grown to 1,959 as of Tuesday and 39 people in the county have died of COVID-19, DHEC reports.

South Carolina has recorded 164,802 positive tests and 3,602 virus-related deaths since the pandemic began, according to DHEC data.

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 27, 2020 at 1:25 PM.