The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported fewer than 6,600 new cases of COVID-19 for the week that ended Jan. 21, as well as 20 new deaths.
New cases fell by 16 percent compared with the previous week, new deaths dropped by 71 percent and hospitalizations, COVID patients in Intensive Care Units, and the rate of positive tests also declined, according to an analysis by The Post and Courier.
Statewide numbers
New cases reported: 6,589
Total cases in S.C.: 1,807,019
New deaths reported: 20
Total deaths in S.C.: 19,093
Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 72.62 percent
Percent positive: 17.5 percent
S.C. residents vaccinated
As of Jan. 21 in South Carolina, 62 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received at least one dose, and 53.9 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
These numbers reflect all eligible residents in South Carolina, including young children. The latest data from DHEC shows 23.5 percent of children ages 5-11 have at least one vaccine dose and 4.9 percent among those under age 5.
Hospitalizations
Of the 473 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Jan. 24, 63 were in the ICU. DHEC no longer reports ventilator usage among hospital patients as of Dec. 20.
What do experts say?
“My message is clear – do not underestimate this virus, it has and will continue to surprise us and it will continue to kill, unless we do more to get health tools to people that need them and to comprehensively tackle misinformation.” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization.