May 1, 2020
Today Gov. McMaster announced several changes to his previous executive orders:
He has lifted the home or work order effective Monday, May 4. It becomes voluntary, he said.
He said restaurants can offer outside dining as well as curbside service beginning May 4. He said restaurants must follow guidelines from the South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association.
He also is removing restrictions put on short-term-rentals not to rent to visitors from the “hot spots” identified by the CDC. Visitors from these hot spots, which included the New York City area, will no longer have to self-quarantine for 14 days.
He said further reopenings, such as with salons, movie theaters, and gyms, would be determined by data.
The latest numbers from DHEC show that 6,258 people have tested positive for Covid-19, with 256 deaths. As of today, Beaufort County has 269 positive cases and 11 deaths.
Here is additional information from DHEC:
Updated recovery rate
Based on the available symptom onset data we have for 4,873 of the individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, DHEC estimates that as of April 30, 78 percent of individuals have recovered from the illness and 22 percent remain ill. This estimate is updated on our website every Tuesday and Friday.
Updated demographic data
Today’s web update includes updated demographic data for positive cases and deaths related to COVID-19. Monitoring demographic information can help direct information and resources to high-risk populations and identify any disparities that need further investigation or focus.
Hospital bed capacity
As of this morning, 4,653 hospital beds are available and 6,743 are in use, which is a 59.2% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 6,743 beds currently used, 300 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.
Testing in South Carolina
As of April 30, DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory has conducted 15,690 tests for COVID-19. Of these tests, 2,064 were positive and 13,626 were negative. A total of 59,379 total tests by both DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory and private labs have been conducted in the state. DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week. The Public Health Laboratory’s current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.
Cases by county and ZIP code
DHEC’s interactive maps were updated to include the latest confirmed and estimated COVID-19 cases by county and ZIP code. The estimated cases represent possible cases based on evidence that for every known case of COVID-19, there could be up to 9 people with the virus who remain unidentified in the community. By including estimates, we hope to better convey the risk of disease spread within our communities.