DHEC: 276 new cases of COVID, no additional deaths

May 16, 2020 5:57 PM EDT

Maria Szatkowski,

Columbia S.C. (WOLO) — According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, as of Saturday there are 276 new cases of the coronavirus and no additional deaths.

This now brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 8,661 and those who have died remains 380.

The number of new cases by county are listed below.
Aiken (13), Allendale (1), Anderson (4), Barnwell (1), Beaufort (3), Berkeley (2), Charleston (4), Chester (1), Chesterfield (2), Clarendon (3), Colleton (2), Darlington (18), Dillon (9), Dorchester (1), Edgefield (2), Fairfield (12), Florence (14), Georgetown (1), Greenville (38), Horry (10), Jasper (1), Kershaw (4), Lancaster (1), Lee (32), Lexington (10), Marion (3), Marlboro (2), Newberry (1), Orangeburg (4), Pickens (2), Richland (18), Saluda (17), Spartanburg (8), Sumter (10), Williamsburg (12), York (10).

As South Carolina increases testing, there will likely be more laboratory-confirmed cases. The total number of tests performed yesterday statewide was 10,715 and the percent positive was 2.6%. When the percent positive is low, it may indicate that more widespread testing is being performed and the percent positive may more accurately reflect how much disease is present in the community.

On Friday, there were 11 testing events across the state. DHEC partnered with Kroger Health and Carolina Health Centers to host testing events at the state fairgrounds and Ridgespring Civic Center where 402 residents were tested. DHEC also returned to Christopher Towers and tested an additional 60 elderly residents. Currently, there are 52 mobile testing events scheduled through June 5 with new mobile clinics regularly added. To find a free testing event near you, visit www.scdhec.gov/covid19testing.

As of Saturday morning, 3,567 inpatient hospital beds are available and 6,799 are in use, which is a 65.59% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 6,799 inpatient beds currently used, 434 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.