Coronavirus live updates for Nov. 18: Additional COVID-19 death reported in Horry County
Coronavirus cases jumped by 73 and one additional death was reported in Horry County Wednesday, health officials announced.
The county’s tally is now 12,742 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The coronavirus has been connected to 220 deaths across the county. Wednesday’s death was in the elderly category.
Hospital bed occupancy in Horry County is at 85.7% as of Monday, a jump from Sunday’s occupancy of 82.2%, with 93 beds available, DHEC data shows.
Horry County council voted not to reintroduce the mask mandate for discussion at its Tuesday meeting, meaning masks are no longer required in unincorporated Horry County. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend wearing face coverings in public places to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Horry County has been without a mask requirement since Oct. 31, but cities like Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach are still under mask mandates as the pandemic surges on.
As the area grapples with the combination of a deadly pandemic and the upcoming holidays, North Myrtle Beach canceled two of its anticipated Christmas events, though one drive-through event is still on the books.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Nov. 18:
Georgetown County has reached 2,133 coronavirus cases and 43 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, according to DHEC. The county’s hospital bed occupancy rate was 78.7% as of Monday, with 39 beds remaining open.
Georgetown County Schools will continue with a hybrid model throughout the semester following a school board discussion that could have given students the option to go back to school full-time.
South Carolina has now recorded 186,528 cases and 3,906 COVID-19 deaths so far in the pandemic, DHEC reports. Of the 7,233 tests reported to DHEC Tuesday, 17% were positive. Health officials have said the target positivity rate is 5% or less.
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 the City of Myrtle Beach, the City of North Myrtle Beach and Georgetown County.
To get a free DHEC-sponsored test, visit scdhec.gov/findatest for a testing location near you. DHEC testing is free, doesn’t require insurance, and results are available within 72 hours. DHEC’s testing options have expanded to include shallow nasal testing, an oral swab, or a saliva test at different locations.
* Editor’s Note: The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s daily news releases sometimes show case numbers that differ from the department’s map. Officials have said the map is the most accurate source, so the map numbers are cited by The Sun News. DHEC also lists “probable” coronavirus cases and deaths, but because those cases are not confirmed they are not included in The Sun News’ reports.
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 1:40 PM.