Coronavirus live updates for Dec. 18: More than 140 cases added in Horry County

Horry County added 142 coronavirus cases to its count Friday, health officials announced.

The latest numbers, continuing a spike that’s lasted through most of December, bring the county’s total number of cases to 15,899, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Horry County has recorded 243 COVID-19 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

Horry County has 91 hospital beds available with a 86.8% occupancy rate as of Thursday, DHEC reports.

Horry County Schools report 105 active student cases and 56 active staff cases ahead of the school break for the winter holidays. At Coastal Carolina University, three students and two staff members tested positive this week, bringing the university’s total cases to 366 since June 8.

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Dec. 18:

Georgetown County has now seen 2,530 cases of the coronavirus and recorded 49 deaths since mid-March, DHEC data shows. The county has 21 hospital beds available and an occupancy rate of 88.5%.

South Carolina’s total number of coronavirus cases jumped to 247,361 Friday. Across the state, 4,512 people have died of COVID-19, DHEC reports.

DHEC reported 14,060 tests Thursday with a positivity rate of 25.9%. South Carolina’s positivity rate has been around 20% in recent weeks as health experts aim to bring that number down 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.