The S.C. first case of a variant of COVID-19 first detected in the United Kingdom was found in the Lowcountry, a private testing facility reported on Saturday.
The state also reported 2,966 new cases of COVID-19, with 65 deaths. Among 11,964 tests, 24.8% were positive Saturday, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).
Saturday’s reports of the new variant are the second this week, days after a South African variant turned up for the first time in the U.S. in patients in the S.C. Lowcountry and Pee Dee.
“The arrival of the second SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is a yet another important reminder to all South Carolinians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC interim public health director, in a statement. “While more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still very limited. We must all remain dedicated to the fight by doing the right things to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.”
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