Three-and-a-half months ago, my news outlet took some heat for declaring an end to the “dark winter” of the coronavirus pandemic (which began winding down right on cue). Since then, Covid-19 numbers have fallen off the map almost completely – a welcome development for a nation dying to get back to work.
Anyway, the seven-day rolling average for new confirmed coronavirus cases in the Palmetto State is now hovering around the 500 mark – well belong the revised peak of 5,238 recorded on January 8, 2021. That is a staggering 90.45 percent drop in a little over four months time – and the lowest reading since the first wave of the virus was sweeping across the nation last April.
While some of this decline is certainly tied to a reduction in the number of Covid-19 tests being administered, the data on coronavirus-related hospitalizations affirms that the virus is on the wane. As of March 18, 2021, only 330 South Carolinians were hospitalized with Covid-19-related symptoms – down from a revised peak of 2,290 on January 13, 2021. That is a huge drop of 86.89 percent.
As for fatalities linked to Covid-19 and its attendant comorbidities, the seven-day rolling average in South Carolina has dipped into single digits on multiple occasions over the past three weeks – and currently stands at 10. That is a 90.5 percent decline from its peak of 106 on February 2, 2021. Meanwhile, the case fatality rate remains at 1.6 percent – its lowest level since last March.
South Carolina’s numbers mirror declines in cases, hospitalizations and deaths at the national level, too.
Just yesterday, the seven-day rolling average for national cases dipped below 30,000 for the first time since June 22, 2020 – when the second wave of the virus was ramping up. That’s an 88.4 percent decline from the peak of 257,698 new cases on January 10, 2021. Meanwhile, national Covid-19-related hospitalizations stand at 32,953 – their lowest level since April 2, 2020 and a decline of 76.83 percent from their peak of 142,273 on January 14, 2021.
Deaths “with” Covid-19 are hovering at around 600 nationally, according to the latest seven-day rolling averages – down 82.7 percent from a peak of 3,469 on January 16, 2021.
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As Covid-19 case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths all continue to decline, vaccinations are steadily increasing. According to the latest data from the U.S., 37.8 percent of the American population is fully vaccinated while 47.9 percent of Americans have received at least one vaccine dose. Those numbers are not quite as high in South Carolina, but are comparable.
Bottom line?
Everywhere you look, there is good news regarding the trajectory of this virus – which prompted a rash of economically debilitating societal shutdowns last spring (and which shut me down for a week back in March). Let’s hope these trends continue as we head into the summer months …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: FITSNews)
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including that killer Chicago Blackhawks’ lid pictured above).
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