Coronavirus live updates for Dec. 29: Horry County adds more than 130 COVID-19 cases
Horry County added 138 COVID-19 cases to its count Tuesday, health officials announced.
The latest case numbers match a trend of adding more than 100 cases daily for much of December as health experts warn of a possible surge following the winter holidays. Tuesday’s numbers bring Horry County’s total cases to 17,652 and deaths to 259, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. No deaths were reported Tuesday.
The county has 71 hospital beds available with an occupancy rate of 89.5% as of Monday, DHEC reports.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Dec. 29:
In Georgetown County, 2,931 positive tests have been recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, according to DHEC. COVID-19 has been linked to 55 deaths in Georgetown County.
With a hospital bed occupancy rate of 86.3%, Georgetown County has 25 hospital beds available as of Monday.
South Carolina cases have reached 277,563 and the state has recorded 4,804 deaths since mid-March, DHEC reports. As health experts push to bring the positivity rate below 5%, DHEC reported 8,731 tests Monday with a positivity rate of 27.1%.
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.
