Coronavirus live updates for Nov. 30: Health officials report 82 new virus cases in Horry County
Cases of the coronavirus increased by 82 in Horry County Monday, health officials announced.
The county has now seen 13,589 cases of COVID-19 and 230 deaths from the virus, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The hospital bed occupancy rate in Horry was 81% of 654, meaning 124 hospital beds were available across the county, according to DHEC.
Even as health experts warned against travel during last week’s Thanksgiving holiday, visitors flocked to the Grand Strand, according to hotel occupancy data kept by Coastal Carolina University. Experts warn people to wait a week after traveling to get a COVID-19 test, as the virus isn’t always immediately detectable.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Nov. 30:
Georgetown County cases increased by eight Monday. The total number of infections in Georgetown County since the beginning of the pandemic has reached 2,229, DHEC reports. COVID-19 has been linked to 47 deaths in Georgetown County since mid-March.
In Georgetown County, 54 hospital beds were available out of 183. The county is operating on 70% hospital bed occupancy, DHEC data shows.
South Carolina coronavirus cases increased to 202,422 Monday, with the state recording 4,050 deaths so far in the pandemic. DHEC recorded 2,707,337 tests across the state Sunday with a 13.9% positive test rate as health experts push for that figure to drop below 5%.
CCU cases remain low
Coastal Carolina University announced seven new positive coronavirus cases between Nov. 19-25 – consisting of four students and three employees – to continue a trend of low case counts at the school.
The week included the final couple days that students were on campus for the fall semester. Last week was the Thanksgiving break and students will finish the fall semester online this week. The spring semester has been pushed back a week from its traditional start and begins Jan. 19.
Coastal has reported eight positive cases or fewer for six consecutive weeks following an outbreak at the school in late August and early September, when cases increased for three consecutive weeks, peaking with 82 on Sept. 16, including 79 among students.
But the school has reported only a total of 47 positive cases over the past eight weeks combined. Weekly test numbers are through 5 p.m. Wednesdays.
The university has registered a total of 350 cases, including 314 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 10 in quarantine through contact tracing as of Wednesday. A total of 229 students in university housing have been released or cleared from isolation, and 370 have been cleared from quarantine.
Approximately 3,800 students moved into university housing between Aug. 12 and Sept. 4 among CCU’s more than 10,000 students, according to CCU vice president for auxiliary services Steve Harrison.
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 had the option of either form of learning until the Thanksgiving break.
Students will have four learning options in the spring: in-person, remote, remote synchronous streaming, and a hybrid in-class with streaming and remote synchronous.
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 30, 2020 at 2:00 PM.
