March 11 COVID update: 262 new cases; 41 deaths; 3.6% positive

Staff reports | Public health experts are warning Americans that the pandemic isn’t over yet as states move into endemic phases among rapidly declining case numbers.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which was criticized for its slow response to the onset of the pandemic in 2020, now says states are being too quick to declare that it’s over. The South Carolina state Department of Health and Environmental Control is gearing up to halt its daily reporting of COVID-19 data, and local governments are loosening COVID-era restrictions.

WHO, in several public forums throughout the week, urged continued vigilance against the pandemic. On Tuesday this week, the agency also gave a broader endorsement of booster shots in an effort to bump up vaccination rates. The move was followed closely by a new recommendation to greatly expand supplies of home testing kits abroad.

However, the 10 million new cases reported in WHO’s six regions last week is almost surely an undercount, reports say. As nonreportable home tests have grown in popularity and testing rates at official sites have seen a rapid decline, WHO says its biggest challenge is the same as it was two years ago — getting member countries to heed its warnings.

Latest COVID-19 data

South Carolina health officials on Friday reported 262 total new cases of COVID-19, with 190 confirmed, and 41 new deaths, 33 of which were confirmed. As of March 10, 299 COVID-19-positive individuals are hospitalized, 31.1% lower than last week. In addition, 30 COVID-19-positive individuals are ventilated, 30.2% lower than last week.

With 7,944 test results reported Friday, 3.6% were confirmed positive.