State health officials announced 2 more deaths each in Lexington and Richland counties.

Lexington had 9 more confirmed covid-19 cases. Colunbia and Richland County had 28.

Department of Health and Environmental Control officials reported 168 new cases and 10 more SC deaths Saturday.

This brings the total confirmed cases to 7,531 and 330 deaths in SC.

8 deaths occurred in elderly individuals in Charleston (1), Clarendon (1), Greenville (1), Lexington (2), Richland (2), and Williamsburg (1) counties.

2 deaths occurred in middle-aged individuals in Berkeley (1) and Fairfield (1) counties.

The number of new cases by county are Aiken (4), Anderson (4), Bamberg (1), Barnwell (1), Berkeley (1), Calhoun (1), Charleston (3), Chesterfield (3), Clarendon (4), Darlington (2), Dillon (3), Edgefield (2), Fairfield (4), Florence (13), Georgetown (1), Greenville (43), Horry (5), Jasper (2), Kershaw (3), Lancaster (2), Lee (7), Lexington (9), Marion (3), Oconee (1), Pickens (4), Richland (28), Saluda (2), Spartanburg (4), Sumter (5), York (3).

DHEC has started testing residents of senior housing  in Columbia. Nearly 80 Christopher Towers residents were tested.

DHEC hosted free testing clinics Saturday in Greenville and Hopkins.

A new mobile testing clinic webpage shares information about upcoming testing events.

DHEC also launched a contact tracing webpage to describes how this activity is a key strategy.

The webpage answers frequently asked questions about contact tracing.

For those interested in joining DHEC’s Contact Tracing team, you can submit a form to receive additional information.

The agency has received 269 contact tracing form submissions. 

For more information  please visit www.SCDHEC.gov .

As DHEC increases testing, more laboratory-confirmed cases are expected,

As of Saturday morning, 3,482 inpatient hospital beds were available and 6,514 others were in use, a 65.17% statewide hospital bed rate.

Of the 6,514 inpatient beds in use. 461 are occupied by patients who have tested or suspected will test positive.