Coronavirus updates for March 29: Here’s what to know in South Carolina this week

We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back each week for updates.

More than 2,000 COVID cases added in SC last week

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday, March 28, reported 2,026 COVID-19 cases for the week ending March 25 and nine coronavirus-related deaths for the week ending March 18.

The counts include probable and confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.

An estimated 1.8 million coronavirus cases have been reported in the Palmetto State, and more than 19,600 people have died as a since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, according to state health officials. Data shows new COVID-19 cases are up about 6% compared with this time last week.

As of March 26, 146 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus in South Carolina (with 58 hospitals reporting), including 20 patients in intensive care units, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Going forward, DHEC said it will use “the CDC data for South Carolina to show our state’s Inpatient Bed Usage and Intensive Care Unit Bed Usage statistics.”

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 made up 100% of all COVID-19 strains identified in South Carolina for the week ending March 11, data shows. The DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory conducts sequencing on randomly chosen samples as part of nationwide efforts to find out about new strains of the virus, the agency’s website reads.

The state’s latest vaccination numbers show 54% of eligible South Carolina residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and just over 62% have received at least one dose.

People vaccinated against COVID after infection still at risk, study says. Here’s why

SC just had its worst flu season in years. Here’s how bad it was and where it killed the most

Is it COVID or just seasonal allergies? How to tell the difference as spring nears