South Carolina recorded 1,200 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on July 29, the most reported in a single day since February.
Four more deaths were also reported by the state health department that day.
New confirmed cases of COVID-19 are continuing to rise in South Carolina as the more transmissible Delta variant spreads.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control updates its variant dashboard weekly. As of July 21, the Pee Dee region of the state had 27 Delta variant cases, the most in the state. Thirteen cases were were reported in the Lowcountry, 23 in the Midlands and seven in the Upstate.
It is important to note that only a small number of COVID cases are sequenced to determine the strain.
Statewide numbers
New cases reported: 1,200 confirmed, 667 probable.
Total cases in S.C.: 504,234 confirmed, 110,678 probable.
Percent positive: 15.4 percent.
New deaths reported: 4 confirmed, 6 probable.
Total deaths in S.C.: 8,729 confirmed, 1,175 probable.
Percent of ICU beds filled: 70 percent.
S.C. residents vaccinated
DHEC's vaccine dashboard shows that 50.8 percent of the state's residents have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 44.4 percent have completed vaccination.
Hardest-hit areas
In the total number of newly confirmed cases, Horry County (105), Lexington County (106) and Richland County (102) saw the highest totals.
What about tri-county?
Charleston County had 85 new cases on July 29, while Berkeley County had 60 and Dorchester County had 54.
Deaths
DHEC did not report the ages of the four people who died in the July 29 data.
Hospitalizations
Of the 453 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of July 29, 133 were in the ICU and 49 were using ventilators.
What do experts say?
Recent analysis from DHEC showed that more than 90 percent of COVID-19 cases and deaths in South Carolina and 86 percent of hospitalizations were among those who were not fully vaccinated.
While no vaccine offers 100 percent protection against an infection, medical experts say COVID-19 vaccinations are effective in preventing severe disease and hospitalizations.
Go to scdhec.gov/vaxlocator to find a nearby vaccine provider.
