Coronavirus live updates for Dec. 1: Horry County tallies more than 65 cases
Horry County added 68 coronavirus cases to its count Tuesday, state health officials announced.
Tuesday’s cases bring the total number of COVID-19 cases to 13,657 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Horry County has also recorded 230 deaths so far in the pandemic.
As of Monday, the hospital bed occupancy rate in Horry County is 83.8%. The county has 109 hospital beds available, according to DHEC data.
The city of Myrtle Beach extended its face mask requirement through the end of the year, mandating people wear face coverings in public to help curb the spread of COVID-19. The city has required face coverings since early July.
Tidelands Health and other hospitals around South Carolina are among the first to use a “groundbreaking” experimental drug to treat coronavirus patients. The drug is meant to help COVID-19 patients avoid hospitalization by preventing the spread of the virus within the person’s body.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Dec. 1:
Georgetown County coronavirus cases have reached 2,232 since mid-March, and the county has recorded 47 deaths. The hospital bed occupancy rate is 70.5%, with 54 beds remaining available, DHEC reports.
Across South Carolina, 205,004 COVID-19 cases and 4,091 deaths have been reported. DHEC recorded 7,375 tests Monday with a 17.6% positivity rate. Health experts aim to bring that number to 5% or below.
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.