COVID deaths, cases climb in Columbus, Horry; surge at TCI
By DEUCE NIVEN
tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com
COVID-19’s death toll is rising in Columbus and Horry counties, as is its case count with a sharp increase at Tabor Correctional Institution in the last few days.
This post will cover these topics and may be updated:
- Prison cases fuel Columbus COVID surge; county deaths indicated
- Fatalities, infections up sharply in Horry
Prison cases fuel Columbus COVID surge; county deaths indicated
Two new COVID-19 associated deaths involving Columbus County residents were indicated in Saturday’s reporting from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, with a significant increase in coronavirus infections in the county largely involving Tabor Correctional Institution, one of two state prisons in the county with ongoing outbreaks.
Those deaths indicated by the DHHS data bring the county’s pandemic loss of life to 66, though Zip Code data from the state agency did not show a corresponding increase.
Another 68 county residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since Thursday, the DHHS data showed, including 48 in the Tabor City Zip Code.
Reporting from the NC Department of Public Safety showed 49 newly confirmed COVID cases since Wednesday, the total now 158, with the number of active cases nearly doubling since Wednesday, from 54 to 101 Saturday.
COVID cases elsewhere in the county have risen slowly since Thursday, the DHHS data shows, up five in the Chadbourn area, four in Whiteville, three in Cerro Gordo, two each in Hallsboro and Delco, and one in Bolton.
North Carolina recorded 2,676 new COVID infections Saturday, and 23 associated deaths, bringing those pandemic totals to 291,245 and 4,605 respectively. Statewide 1,196 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus, that number up by 35 from Friday.
Fatalities, infections up sharply in Horry
Five more Horry County residents have been lost to COVID-19 since Thursday, three reported just on Saturday, with 128 newly confirmed infections in the two-day period, state Department of Health and Environmental Control data shows.
Those deaths involve one elderly individual on Nov. 2, three on Nov. 5, and middle aged people on Oct. 31 and Nov. 5.
Six of the newly confirmed infections are in the Loris Zip Code, the DHEC data showed, none in Green Sea. Pandemic total COVID infections in Horry now total 11,966, including 689 in the Loris Zip Code, 61 in Green Sea.
South Carolina has recorded 174,862 COVID cases during the pandemic, 3,756 deaths, those numbers up by 1,639 and 9 respectively since Friday.
Statewide 740 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus Thursday, that number down by 27 from Friday.
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.
