SC drops to CDC’s low community COVID-19 spread level with latest case report

South Carolina reached low levels of community spread of the coronavirus by federal health officials’ standards in Saturday’s new cases report.

Of the almost 28,000 people tested last week, 4.3% were positive, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control said. The CDC says 5% or less means there’s low level of community spread.

South Carolina had 792 new cases of the coronavirus and 15 more deaths on Saturday, according to DHEC.

Greenville County had the most new cases with 106, followed by Spartanburg County with 69. Richland County had 61 new cases and Lexington County 38.

Of the 15 who died, 11 were 65 years old or older. The four others were 35 to 65 years old. At least 7,711 people have died from the coronavirus in South Carolina, according to DHEC.

DHEC also reported 137 new probable cases and six new probable deaths.

DHEC defines a probable case as someone who has had a positive antigen test or has virus symptoms and is at high risk for infection. Probable deaths are ones where the death certificate lists COVID-19 as the cause of or a contributing factor to death, but the person was not tested for the virus.

Hospitalizations from COVID-19 continue to decline. At least 623 people were hospitalized on Saturday from the virus, according to state health officials.

More than 1.2 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered, DHEC reported. Another 550,000 people have schedule vaccination.

South Carolina has had 449,151 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.