FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 5, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 545 new confirmed cases and 27 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 4 additional confirmed deaths and no new probable deaths.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 147,116, probable cases to 5,043, confirmed deaths to 3,258, and 198 probable deaths.

Confirmed and probable cases: please click here.
Confirmed and probable deaths: please click here.

Click here to view a detailed county-level breakdown of the delayed test results per day during the time period affected by an internal database update from Sept. 24-Oct 2. The details of this internal database were outlined in the Oct. 2 news release.

The impact on the statewide percent positive for these days impacted by the database issue was minimal, less than three-tenths of a percent (0.3%).

Who Should Get Tested?
If you are out and about in the community, around others, or not able to socially distance or wear a mask, we recommend that you get tested at least once a month.
 
Routine testing allows public health workers to diagnose those who are asymptomatic and interrupt the ongoing spread of the virus. Learn more about who should get tested here.

428 Testing Opportunities Available Statewide
Testing for COVID-19 is essential because it helps identify people who are infected with the virus, whether or not they have symptoms.

DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics and make testing available in communities across the state. Currently, there are 112 mobile testing events scheduled through November 23 and there are 316 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Find a testing clinic or event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19testing.

Testing in South Carolina
As of yesterday, a total of 1,512,129 tests have been conducted in the state. See a detailed breakdown of tests in South Carolina on the Data and Projections webpage. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week, and the Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.

Percent Positive
The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 4,947 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive was 11.0%.

Hospital Bed Occupancy
Hospitals report their information each day to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by way of TeleTracking, and that same reporting is also provided to DHEC. Click here to view data from today's TeleTracking report.