DHEC announces 7 new COVID-19 deaths, 133 new cases in S.C.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WMBF) - The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced Wednesday 133 new cases of the novel coronavirus, and seven additional deaths.

Five of those deaths occurred in elderly individuals in Clarendon (2), Florence (1), Lexington (1), and Richland (1) counties, and two of the deaths occurred in a middle-aged individual in Greenville (1) and Marion (1) counties.

This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 8,030 and those who have died to 362, officials said.

The number of new cases by county are listed below:

Allendale (4), Aiken (9), Anderson (2), Barnwell (1), Beaufort (2), Berkeley (1), Charleston (3), Chesterfield (4), Colleton (1), Darlington (1), Dillon (3), Edgefield (2), Fairfield (1), Florence (8), Greenville (16), Greenwood (4), Horry (4), Kershaw (3), Lancaster (1), Laurens (1), Lee (3), Lexington (15), Marlboro (2), Orangeburg (1), Pickens (3), Richland (21), Saluda (1), Spartanburg (3), Sumter (2), Williamsburg (3), York (8)

South Carolinians are encouraged to stay home and minimize contact with people outside their households to prevent the spread of the disease. Other steps the public should take include:

· Monitoring for symptoms

· Practicing social distancing

· Avoiding touching frequently touched items

· Regularly washing your hands

Anyone with concerns about their health should reach out to their healthcare provider or use the telehealth services provided by several health care systems. For telehealth options and the latest information about DHEC’s COVID-19 response efforts, please visit scdhec.gov/COVID-19. Visit scdmh.net for stress, anxiety and mental health resources from the S.C. Department of Mental Health.