Health officials confirmed SC’s 1st pediatric covid-19 death Saturday.

The child was under age  5, lived in the Midlands and it was reported July 11.

To protect the privacy of the family, no other information will be disclosed now.

Lexington County had 2 deaths and 81 confirmed cases.

“We mourn the loss of 1 of our children,” said Dr. Joan Duwve, DHEC Public Health Director

"It is heart-wrenching to lose a child under any circumstances, especially so during a time when we have all lost so much already

“No one is immune to this deadly disease, but we each have the power to impact the path this pandemic takes in South Carolina.

"Choosing to wear a mask and maintain physical distance will not only help change the course of the pandemic.

"It will help save the lives of those around us.”

Today also marked the highest number of reported positive cases  at 2,239.

It was the highest reported in a day by more than 300 cases.

The percent positive tests yesterday was the highest to date at 22.2%.

77.8% tested negative for infection.

Younger South Carolinians continue to contribute to more positive cases.

Since June 1, a 436.5% increase in newcases has been reported in the 21-30 age group.

That represents 22% of confirmed cases in the state – the largest percentage by age group.\

DHEC today announced 2,239 new confirmed cases, 7 new probable cases, 18 more confirmed deaths and 4 new probable deaths

This brings the total  confirmed cases to 54,538, probable cases to 146, confirmed deaths to 940 and 11 probable deaths. 

11 deaths were elderly individuals in Aiken (1), Charleston (5), Dillon (1), Horry (2), Lexington (1), and Richland (1) counties.

5 deaths were middle-aged individuals in Horry (2), Lexington (1), Orangeburg (1), and Sumter (1) counties.

1 death was a young adult from Horry and 1 a child from Chester county.

4 probable deaths occurred in individuals in Lancaster (1), Aiken (1), and Charleston (2) counties.

New confirmed cases by county are Abbeville (11), Aiken (34), Allendale (8), Anderson (42), Bamberg (11), Barnwell (14), Beaufort (105), Berkeley (76), Calhoun (16), Charleston (317), Cherokee (5), Chester (12), Chesterfield (5), Clarendon (16), Colleton (24), Darlington (17), Dillon (6), Dorchester (82), Edgefield (11), Fairfield (25), Florence (42), Georgetown (42), Greenville (279), Greenwood (69), Hampton (9), Horry (208), Jasper (10), Kershaw (12), Lancaster (21), Laurens (39), Lexington (81), Marion (5), Marlboro (1), McCormick (7), Newberry (17), Oconee (17), Orangeburg (64), Pickens (35), Richland (144), Saluda (13), Spartanburg (126), Sumter (58), Union (14), Williamsburg (11), York (78)

Probable cases are from Aiken (2), Charleston (2), Kershaw (1), Lancaster (1), and Richland counties.

As of yesterday, 533,738 tests have been conducted in the state.

10,083 individual test results were reported to DHEC yesterday.

22.2% tested positive, 77.8% tested negative as uninfected. 

1,396 hospital beds are occupied by covid-19 patients.