Mask wearing, social distancing has cut seasonal flu hospitalizations by two-thirds, DHEC says - WBTW

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) — Hospitalizations due to seasonal influenza have decreased two-thirds compared to last year, according to information from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. .

While about a quarter of inpatient hospital beds have remained open over the last few weeks, that could quickly change if there’s a surge in both COVID-19 and seasonal flu cases following Thanksgiving gatherings. .

“If we have a big surge in either influenza or COVID-19, or both of them, we run the risk of being overwhelmed and unable to care for that surge of patients,” said Jane Kelly, DHEC’s assistant state epidemiologist. .

There have been a total of 21 lab-confirmed flu cases and 38 hospitalizations this year, compared to 83 and 120 at this time last year. .

The previous flu season — which ended in September — ended with 6,727 lab-confirmed cases, 3,000 hospitalizations and 141 deaths. .

As of Tuesday, there have been 196,330 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,010 confirmed deaths attributed to the virus in South Carolina, according to an update Tuesday from DHEC

(NewsNation Now) —  More than 13 million cases of the coronavirus have now been reported in the United States, with the most recent million coming in less than a week, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) -- The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 88 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases and three probable cases in Horry County, according to a Friday update from the agency