Coronavirus live updates for Dec. 17: More than 110 cases added in Horry County
Cases of the coronavirus grew by 117 in Horry County Thursday as the area braces for a possible spike following the winter holidays.
The county has reported more than 100 cases each day since Dec. 2, bringing its total number of cases thus far in the pandemic to 15,757. With an additional death reported Thursday, Horry County has also seen 241 deaths, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
As cases surge in a manner not seen since the summer months, hospital bed occupancy in Horry County was 90.4% as of Wednesday. That means 66 beds are available in the county.
Horry County Schools report 116 students have active cases of COVID-19 and 295 staff members are in quarantine.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus in the Myrtle Beach area Dec. 17:
Georgetown County has reached 2,530 cases and 49 deaths of COVID-19, DHEC reports. The county has seven hospital beds available and is operating at 96.2 occupancy.
Across South Carolina, 243,583 cases and 4,484 deaths have been reported so far in the pandemic as the state began vaccinating front-line workers this week. The state is struggling to keep its positivity rate low, reporting around 20% positivity rates as health experts aim to bring it below 5%. Of the 8,357 tests reported to DHEC Wednesday, the positivity rate was 24.2%.
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.