COVID cases soar in Horry, up in Columbus, where gown sewing volunteers are needed

By DEUCE NIVEN

tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com

     A big jump in people confirmed infected by COVID-19 in Horry County was reported Friday, a modest increase in Columbus County, where more volunteers are needed to sew gowns for healthcare workers and first responders.

     This post will cover these topics and may be updated:

• Horry COVID cases soar by 26
• Four new COVID cases in Columbus
• More gown sewing volunteers sought

Horry COVID cases soar by 26

     COVID-19 confirmed cases in Horry County soared to 359 with 26 people newly diagnosed with the coronavirus, 11 of those from the Loris Zip Code, South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control reported Friday.

     With the latest report Horry County has recorded 359 people testing positive for the disease since the pandemic began.

     Zip Code data shows 54 cases from the Loris area, 12 more than Thursday, and five from Green Sea, an increase of one.

     Statewide there have been 9,638 positive tests returned for COVID-19 in South Carolina, up by 245 from Thursday; with 419 related deaths, that number up by three from Thursday.

Four new COVID cases in Columbus

     Another four Columbus County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the county’s health department reported Friday.

     With those cases 289 residents have been confirmed infected with the coronavirus. There have been 21 COVID-19 related deaths among county residents.

     “Two of the new cases are connected to congregate living facilities in Columbus County and two of the cases are still under investigation, a health department news release said.

     By Zip Code: Zip Code data changes on the DHHS blackboard Friday appeared to indicate some movement among cases that had been previously assigned to one area, and reassigned to another, with the Fair Bluff total confirmed cases moving from 18 to 14, Cerro Gordo from 14 to 12, while Clarendon increased by one to six, Chadbourn up by two to 53, and Whiteville also up by two to 76.

     Tabor City’s Zip Code information was unchanged with 74 confirmed cases and nine deaths. Riegelwood recorded its fourth confirmed case, the dashboard showed.

     Precautions: “With the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continuing to rise in Columbus County, we are asking the public to take the necessary measures to stop the transmission of COVID-19,” the news release said. “The Columbus County Health Department would like to remind everyone of the recommended measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which are:

• Social distancing (e.g. avoiding crowds, self-quarantining, no mass gatherings, only going out in public when necessary)
• Wearing a mask or face covering when in public places
• Washing hands frequently with soap and water, and for at least 20 seconds each time
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are ill
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw it away, and then wash your hands
• Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose

     NC TOTALS: Statewide there are 21,618 confirmed COVID-19 cases in 100 North Carolina counties Friday, up by 708 from Thursday, the DHHS reported. There were 728 North Carolina deaths attributed to COVID-19 Friday, 12 more than Thursday; with 568 current hospitalizations, that number down by 10 from the day before.

     CC Health Updates: Regularly updated information from the Columbus County Health Department is available on its Facebook page here.

     Columbus County Health Department’s COVID-19 Call Center is also operating from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Call 910-640-6615 ext. 7045 or 7046.

More gown sewing volunteers sought

     Volunteers in Columbus County have been sewing personal protective gowns for healthcare workers and first responders for weeks, but the need remains, a news release from county government says.

     Government leaders are “very grateful” for the volunteers who have sewn the gowns, the news release said. Additional gown kits will be arriving soon, with delivery to volunteers to follow.

     “The fabric will be precut and ready to sew. We are looking for additional volunteers to sew these gown.”

     Anyone interested assisting, or in receiving an additional box, is asked to call the Columbus County Economic Development Department at 910-640-6608 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

Updates

     Look for continuing coverage on local impacts from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak here and in the Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online.