COVID-19 live updates for Jan. 2: Myrtle Beach area sees more than 200 new cases
The Myrtle Beach saw another 207 coronavirus cases added to its count in the latest update from state health officials.
Horry County has now had a total of 18,192 cases since the pandemic started in mid-March. The latest figures were released Saturday by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The figures count for two days as the state did not release data on Friday because of the New Year’s Day holiday. On Thursday, the agency reported 17,985 COVID-19 cases in the Myrtle Beach area.
Horry County has also seen 273 coronavirus-related deaths, according to the DHEC data.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Jan. 2:
There have been 1,355 coronavirus-related hospitalizations in Horry County during the pandemic, according to DHEC data. About 10 percent of all cases included the person being admitted to the hospital.
The average age of a hospitalized person is 65 years old.
Georgetown County has seen 3,013 cases with 62 deaths, according to DHEC data.
Across South Carolina there have been 287,776 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started. There have been a total of 4,968 deaths in South Carolina.
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.
