Coronavirus live updates for Dec. 15: Nearly 300 Horry Schools staff isolated amid spike
Coronavirus cases in Horry County jumped by 136 Tuesday, continuing a weeks-long trend of adding more than 100 cases daily as the first vaccines became available to healthcare workers this week.
Horry County has now seen 15,539 coronavirus cases and 240 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. No deaths were reported Tuesday.
As the winter holidays approach, hospital bed occupancy across the county is 85.9% with 97 beds available, DHEC reports.
A Sun News analysis showed a significant increase in cases in unincorporated areas of Horry County when a mask order wasn’t in place. The county let its mask requirement expire at the end of October, but cities such as Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach still have an ordinance in place.
Horry County Schools data shows 292 staff members across the district are in quarantine on top of the 42 staff members with active cases of COVID-19. The district also has 68 active student cases, its coronavirus dashboard shows.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Dec. 15:
Georgetown County has reached 2,506 coronavirus cases since mid-March. COVID-19 has been linked to 49 deaths in the county, DHEC reports. There are 24 available hospital beds in Georgetown County with an occupancy rate of 86.9%.
The number of cases in South Carolina increased to 239,119 Tuesday as the state has reported more than 3,000 cases several days in December. The state has recorded 4,402 coronavirus deaths since mid-March, DHEC data shows.
More than 3 million coronavirus tests have now been administered in South Carolina so far in the pandemic. Of the 11,589 tests reported to DHEC across the state Monday, 19.9% were positive. Health experts say the positivity rate should be 5% or below as the state struggles to keep it below 20% for an extended period of time.
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.
