Dr. Brannon Traxler opened the news briefing with a grim statement.
“Our current situation is currently tipping in the wrong direction,” said Traxler, Public Health Director at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, July 14 during the weekly COVID-19 update with reporters.
“Three weeks ago, we saw an increase of 7.5% in cases compared to the week before, followed the next week by an 18% increase and then last week, a 58% percent increase,” Traxler said.
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She said hospitalizations are also on the rise. On June 23, South Carolina had 147 people in the hospital due to COVID-19. As of July 14, that had climbed to 205. That is an increase of 39.4%.
“The vast majority of people who are getting hospitalized and dying from COVID-19 are those who are not fully vaccinated,” Traxler said.
Only 43% of Palmetto State residents are fully vaccinated.
South Carolina is now reporting 12 cases of the delta variant, an increase of two since last week’s briefing.
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In Georgia, the Department of Public Health says cases of delta variant are holding steady at 12%, which is about 50 cases.
Fewer than 40% of Georgians are fully vaccinated.
A new variant has also been identified in both states.
The Medical University of South Carolina said the lambda variant was identified in a sample taken from a patient in the Greenville area.
“There are a number of variants with any combination of mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the lambda variant or strain is one of them. The lambda variant is not as worrisome as others at this time,” Traxler said.
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“There have been a handful, fewer than 10, confirmed lambda cases going back to February, Nancy Nydam, spokesperson for GDPH, said.
She and Traxler both note that the lambda strain is not yet listed as a variant of interest or concern at this time.
However, based on worldwide figures, the World Health Organization has added the lambda variant to its list of variants of interest as of June 2021.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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