Total number of coronavirus cases in South Carolina rises to 7

A seventh person in South Carolina has presumptively tested positive for coronavirus, state officials announced Monday.

An older man in Camden in Kershaw County is the latest presumptive case, according to state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell. The man, who is currently in self-isolation at his home, had been in direct contact with an individual who previously tested positive for the virus.

Of the seven presumptive positive cases in South Carolina, two of them have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — one in Camden, and one in Charleston, state officials said. The others have been tested by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and are awaiting confirmation by the CDC.

Both of those who have confirmed cases of coronavirus are “stable,” Bell said.

Five of the seven cases reported in South Carolina are in Kershaw County.

“We now have evidence of community spread that’s likely to be causing these initial cases in Camden in Kershaw County and the risk of spread to other communities is possible, as seen in other states across the country,” Bell said. “We are working with the CDC and state and local officials to limit community spread while continuing with our protocol for identifying travel-related cases in the state.”

For the average person, however, there is no reason to panic, said DHEC Director Rick Toomey.

“The risk of contracting COVID-19 remains low for the general public,” Toomey said at a Monday afternoon press conference.

South Carolina officials so far have tested 31 individuals for coronavirus, or COVID-19, and 24 of those tests came back negative. DHEC currently has the capability of testing 1,000 individuals, and more labs are expected to come online soon, officials said Monday.

“There is no shortage of testing kits in South Carolina,” said S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster.

McMaster said the state is “nowhere near” declaring a state of emergency, and there is no reason for children to stay home from school or government offices to close, he said. There is no reason for people to avoid large crowds such as the St. Pat’s in Five Points festival in Columbia on March 21, he said.

Those who are sick, however, need to recognize they are not well and should stay home, Bell said.

As of Monday, there have been more than 111,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide and more than 3,800 deaths, though most of them are in China, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In addition to the Camden man who was confirmed as a presumptive coronavirus patient Monday, there are four other presumptive positive cases and two positive cases of the virus in South Carolina. They include:

• A Camden woman in her 80s, along with two people who had been in close contact with her;
• Another man in Camden who had no contact with the woman;
• A man in Spartanburg County with no known connection to the other cases who recently traveled to Italy;
• A Charleston woman in her 30s who recently traveled to Italy and France and is affiliated with the Medical University of South Carolina.

Symptoms of coronavirus vary from mild to severe and include coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath, according to the CDC.

The best way to prevent infection is to wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC.

It does not matter whether the water is hot or cold, Bell said.

The U.S. Surgeon General has urged members of the public to avoid buying protective masks because they are ineffective at preventing coronavirus, and buying them saps vital resources for health officials who need them.

DHEC is following guidance from the CDC and officials said they do not recommend closing schools or canceling public events at this time.

This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 3:44 PM with the headline "Total number of coronavirus cases in South Carolina rises to 7."