Coronavirus updates for July 13: Here’s what to know in South Carolina this week

We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back each week for updates.

(NEW)Over 13,000 COVID-19 cases in S.C. last week

At least 1.5 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and at least 18,055 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday, July 12, reported 13,164 COVID-19 cases and no coronavirus-related deaths for the week ending July 9. The counts include probable and confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.

Data shows COVID-19 cases are up 9% compared to this time last week, and hospitalizations jumped about 30%. As of July 11, 459 people in the state were hospitalized with the coronavirus, including 57 patients being treated in intensive care and 13 patients on ventilators, the latest available data shows.

The omicron variant accounted for 100% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina during the week of June 25, according to the latest available state data. The DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory conducts sequencing on randomly chosen samples as part of nationwide efforts to identify new strains of the virus, the agency’s website reads.

About 52% percent of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 60% have received at least one dose, state health data shows.

Is omicron subvariant BA.5 the ‘worst’ version of COVID? What experts say

Omicron subvariant BA.5 now makes up more than half of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and experts say it’s a “whole different animal” compared to other coronavirus strains.

“This version of the virus has caused a lot of trouble, more than other Omicron subvariants,” Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, wrote in a July 10 report.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data estimates show the subvariant — which spreads more easily and is more resistant to immunity provided by COVID-19 vaccines — accounted for over 53% of coronavirus cases in the country as of July 2, McClatchy News reported. It has outpaced other omicron variants including BA.2, better known as “stealth omicron.”

Subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 were found to be the “most immune-evasive variants,” and BA.5 was the most contagious of omicron’s strains, according to Topol’s report. Reinfections of BA.4 and BA.5 are also possible about a month after an initial coronavirus infection, said Western Australia chief health officer Dr. Andrew Robertson.

Read on for more about the BA.5 omicron subvariant.

Is omicron subvariant BA.5 the ‘worst’ version of COVID yet? Here’s what we know

Paxlovid COVID-19 treatment now available at pharmacies. What to know

Patients can pick up the coronavirus treatment pill Paxlovid at pharmacies nationwide, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last week.

State-licensed pharmacists are now able to prescribe the anti-viral drug, created by Pfizer, to those at risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19 and who are experiencing moderate symptoms, McClatchy News reported. Physicians were previously the only ones allowed to prescribe the medicine to COVID-positive patients.

“Since Paxlovid must be taken within five days after symptoms begin, authorizing state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid could expand access to timely treatment for some patients who are eligible to receive this drug for the treatment of COVID-19,” Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the director for the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

Pharmacists can also decide whether Paxlovid is the best treatment for those sick with COVID-19, the FDA said.

The drug isn’t for patients who are hospitalized with the virus. To get Paxlovid, those who who COVID-positive must be at least 12 years old and weigh at least 88 pounds, the agency said.

Read the full story below.

Yes, you can now get Paxlovid from a pharmacy. What to know about the COVID treatment