YORK COUNTY, S.C. — A person is York County has presumptive tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, state officials announced Tuesday.
The patient, who is the county's first reported case, is not being publicly identified. It was not immediately known where in the county the patient may live.
Medical samples taken from the patient will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for confirmation.
“We emphasize the importance of practicing disease prevention measures and following recommendations for social distancing to protect our community as a whole,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, a physician consultant for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
At the time of announcement, South Carolina Carolina updated its number of cases to 47 statewide, including the one in York and two in Lancaster County.
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DHEC encourages following recommendations for social distancing to protect the health and safety of all South Carolinians. This includes:
- washing your hands frequently,
- covering your cough,
- staying home when you’re sick and not attend public gatherings, and
- appropriately disposing tissues and other items that you've sneezed or coughed into.
Several South Carolina health systems are offering telehealth options to the public. For telehealth options and the latest information about DHEC’s COVID-19 response efforts, please visit scdhec.gov/COVID19. For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC website here.