Coronavirus omicron updates: What to know in South Carolina on Jan. 11
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
More than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases reported in SC
At least 869,217 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and 12,789 have died in South Carolina since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday, Jan. 11, reported 6,497 new COVID-19 cases and 10 coronavirus-related deaths. There were also 1,652 probable cases and no probable deaths, data show.
The omicron variant accounted for 72.2% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina during the week that ended Dec. 25. The delta variant accounted for roughly 26%, according to data from the state health department.
At least 1,918 people in the state were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 on Jan. 11, including 330 patients being treated in intensive care units and 169 on ventilators. About 22% of hospitalizations in South Carolina are coronavirus-related, data shows.
As of Jan. 11, nearly 35% of COVID-19 tests were reported positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said 5% or lower means there is a low level of community spread.
About 52% of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated, and just over 61% have received at least one dose.
USC raises COVID-19 risk level. What to know
A spike in COVID-19 cases has prompted the University of South Carolina to increase its risk status for students and staff on campus, according to The State.
A total of 867 people, including students and university employees, had a positive COVID-19 infection as of Tuesday, Jan. 11, the newspaper reported, citing USC’s online COVID-19 dashboard. The positivity rate among students is 23.4% while the positivity rate among employees is 9.7%, data show.
The university upped its campus COVID-19 risk status from “new normal” to “low” in response to the increased cases. The spike comes as the highly infectious omicron variant drives new COVID-19 cases across South Carolina and beyond.
Read the full story here.
Myrtle Beach temporarily halts recycling pick-up due to COVID-19 exposure
Myrtle Beach residents will have to wait a while longer for their recyclable waste to be picked up, thanks to staff shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
City officials announced that recycling pick-up services will be suspended temporarily through the rest of the week, The Sun News reported. Yard waste and bulky junk pick-up will also be limited.
Residential garbage pick-up is unaffected, officials said.
SC House, Senate balconies closed to the public as omicron spreads
Access to balconies atop the South Carolina House and Senate chambers will remain closed to the public for now due to a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the omicron coronavirus variant, The State reported.
State House and Senate leaders said the balconies will be limited to lawmakers only.
“As we continue to evaluate rising COVID-19 case numbers across the state, I have decided to keep the balcony closed to visitors and guests to allow members space to social distance,” Senate President Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, wrote in a memo to colleagues, The State reported.
The gallery doors remained closed last year due the pandemic, forcing spectators to watch the legislative proceedings from home, work or in the lobby between both chambers.
“We will continue to monitor the situation so when appropriate we can welcome visitors and guests back to the chamber,” Alexander said.
Hilton Head residents wait in hours-long line for COVID-19 tests
A surge in demand for COVID-19 tests caused an hours-long traffic jam on Hilton Head Island Jan. 10 as residents flocked to a state-run coronavirus testing site, according to The Island Packet.
Hundreds of cars were stuck waiting in a line that snaked down Squire Pope Road and wrapped around Fire Station 4 where officials were conducting PCR COVID-19 tests, the newspaper reported. One Island Packet reporter said he spent nearly three hours in his car before he was tested.
Spread of the highly infectious omicron coronavirus variant has caused a spike in demand for testing in recent weeks.
“There’s a high demand (for testing), and they’re trying to cycle them through as quickly as possible,” Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue spokesperson Joheida Fister said, according to the newspaper.
Read the full story here.
Horry County restricts public access to government buildings
An uptick in COVID-19 cases has prompted Horry County officials to limit public access to government buildings, The Sun News reported.
More than 60 county employees have tested positive for the virus in recent weeks, the county said in a Jan. 10 news release, and dozens of others are in quarantine awaiting test results.
Residents who feel sick are asked to avoid government buildings and other public facilities, The Sun News reported, citing the release. Those who must visit a county government facility are encouraged to wear a face mask.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 7:12 AM with the headline "Coronavirus omicron updates: What to know in South Carolina on Jan. 11."