Delta variant more than quadruples in SC as new coronavirus cases rise, DHEC reports
South Carolina has 54 reported cases of the coronavirus delta variant as new COVID-19 cases continue a three-week rise, according to data from the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Reported delta variant cases increased fourfold from July 7 to July 14, DHEC reported.
The rise of the delta variant comes as all major indicators of coronavirus spread increase.
From July 12 to 16, South Carolina had 2,133 new cases of the virus reported. This is the first week since mid-May that more than 2,000 new cases were reported in a week. That’s an average of about 427 new cases a day. At least 16 deaths were reported.
The average percent of positive tests for the week was 6.1, which means the virus is spreading, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says a positivity rate consistently below 5% means the virus spread is slowing in a community.
The three weeks of increasing coronavirus indicators come as state public health officials warn that the state could experience a surge in coronavirus cases because of the combination of low vaccination rates and the spread of the delta variant.
The State reported that 94% of new COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in unvaccinated people. Unvaccinated people also account for the vast majority of people who are hospitalized with COVID-19 or die of the disease.
Almost 20,000 more people were reported to have completed vaccination as of July 7, the last day reported by DHEC. Nearly 1.87 million people are vaccinated in South Carolina. That’s about 44% of the state’s residents.
As of Tuesday, the last day of reporting, 192 people were hospitalized in the state with coronavirus. That’s up from 127 the previous week.
At least 601,803 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina and 9,862 have died since March 2020, according to DHEC.
DHEC has launched its “Shot and a Chaser” campaign in partnership with the South Carolina Brewers Guild. The campaign will reward anyone who gets a COVID-19 shot at select breweries across the state with a free beer or soda, the agency said.
To learn how to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, visit The State’s website.
