Latest Coronavirus cases in SC spike to daily case record high

SC surpasses another record high in COVID cases just ahead of the holiday

Columbia, SC (WOLO) — The number of new COVID cases in South Carolina skyrocketed Wednesday as people rush to get tested before the holiday.

According to the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), for the past 11 days straight the agency has reported more than 2 thousand COVID cases daily.  That was until today Wednesday, December 23 when South Carolina shattered that record.  Outof the more than 16 thousand test results most recently reported 3,599 were confirmed positive. The number of confirmed cases of people infected with the virus throughout the state now sits at 261,024.

The positive percentage was similar to the seven day average at 22% percent.
The health agency says to date 49 more people have lost their lives to the virus bringing the total number of people here in South Carolina to have died from coronavirus to 4,651 individuals.

Health officials say hospitals in the Midlands are currently at 81% occupancy, with 1,671 or 18.78% hospitalized with coronavirus. 355 of those patients (21.24%) are reportedly in the ICU and 142 COVID patients are on ventilators.

DHEC has set up 315 testing sites to make it easier for South Carolinians to know their status. If you would like more information on the testing site closest to you CLICK HERE