Prison outbreak continues to pace Columbus COVID surge; Horry records 120 new cases in a day
By DEUCE NIVEN
tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com
COVID-19 has not taken a holiday break at Tabor Correctional Institution, with 110 newly confirmed cases since Wednesday fueling a surge in coronavirus numbers for Columbus County, while across the state line Horry County recorded 120 new cases on Saturday alone.
This post will cover these topics and may be updated:
- TCI outbreak continues to push Columbus COVID surge
- Horry case surge grows, 12 in a day
TCI outbreak continues to push Columbus COVID surge
There have been more newly confirmed COVID-19 cases at Tabor Correctional Institution during the Thanksgiving holidays than the rest of Columbus County combined, data from the NC Department of Public Safety and the state’s Department of Health and Human Services show.
Between Wednesday and Saturday 110 COVID cases have been confirmed among the inmate population at TCI, with the county total for that period 178, DHHS data shows.
Zip Code data seems to confirm TCI’s impact, with 128 new cases in the Tabor City area since Wednesday, sending that pandemic total post 900 cases, to 903 confirmed COVID infections with 21 associated deaths.
While there have been no newly confirmed cases in the same time frame at Columbus Correctional Institution, the other state prison in the county, Zip Code data shows 23 newly confirmed cases in the Whiteville area.
Early stages of an outbreak at Liberty Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center were evident in the most recent congregate care update from DHHS, on Tuesday, which showed 11 new cases among residents, another 11 new cases among staff, since the previous Friday. That brought the total to 15 residents and 14 staff members testing positive for the coronavirus.
DHHS did not provide a congregate care update on Friday, due to the Thanksgiving holiday, with the next expected on Tuesday.
Columbus County has recorded 2,735 COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, and 71 deaths, the DHHS data shows.
North Carolina reported 3,444 new COVID infections Saturday, and 9 associated deaths, bringing those pandemic totals to 357,958 and 5,219 respectively. Statewide 1,840 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus, up by 60 from Friday.
Horry case surge grows, 12 in a day
A surge in COVID-19 cases for Horry County has picked up steam during the Thanksgiving holiday, with 120 newly confirmed cases reported on Saturday alone, daily data from South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control showed.
Since Wednesday 207 coronavirus cases have been confirmed for Horry, and another death reported on Friday.
Zip Code data showed six of those new COVID cases since Wednesday in the Loris area, four of those reported Saturday. That brings the pandemic COVID count for Loris to 747, with 77 in Green Sea, none of those reported during the holiday period.
South Carolina surpassed 200,000 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began on Saturday, the new 201,354 total up by 1,797 from Friday; the state’s COVID associated death toll of 4,043 unchanged from the day before.
Statewide 879 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus Saturday, that number down by 5 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.
