SC nears 7,500 confirmed coronavirus deaths, with over 430,000 total cases confirmed | COVID-19

South Carolina is getting closer to 7,500 confirmed deaths related to the coronavirus on Feb. 21.

The state also is investigating 915 deaths as probable COVID-19 cases.

According to data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, hospitalizations for the virus have been trending down over the past 30 days.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 1,389 confirmed, 343 probable.

Total cases in S.C.: 436,161 confirmed, 67,988 probable.

Percent positive: 6.2 percent.

New deaths reported: 56 confirmed, 11 probable.

Total deaths in S.C.: 7,409 confirmed, 915 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled: 75 percent.

How does S.C. rank in vaccines administered per 100,000 people? 

44th as of Feb. 20, according to the CDC. 

Hardest-hit areas

In the total number of newly confirmed cases, Greenville (197), Richland (127) and Spartanburg (111) counties saw the highest totals.

What about the tri-county?

Charleston County had 105 new cases on Feb. 21, while Berkeley counted 44 and Dorchester had 38.

Four Charleston County patients and four Dorchester County patients recently died of COVID-19, DHEC reported Feb. 21.

Deaths

One of the newly confirmed deaths from COVID-19 was a person aged 18 to 34. Four were 35 to 64, and the remainder were patients 65 and older. 

Hospitalizations

Of the 1,013 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Feb. 21, 240 were in the ICU and 144 were using ventilators.

What do experts say?

With 13.8 million shots in arms across the United States, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a research report Feb. 19 that the safety data is still reassuring. 

Everyone who is administering vaccines is required to report “adverse events” to government health officials. Of all those doses given, there were 7,000 reports of side effects. Nine in 10 of those incidents were not serious, which included symptoms like headache, nausea, dizziness, chills and fatigue.

“These initial findings should provide reassurance to health care providers and to vaccine recipients and promote confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines,” CDC researchers wrote. They added the system that monitors safety of the vaccine is the largest of its kind in U.S. history.

And though 113 people have died within days of receiving the vaccine, none were linked to a COVID-19 vaccination. 

Reach Fleming Smith at 843-937-5591. Follow her on Twitter at @MFlemingSmith.