Coronavirus cases up to 9 in SC after 2 more positive tests

CAMDEN, S.C. (AP) — Two more people tested positive for the new coronavirus in South Carolina, both connected to the original case of a woman in a small city northeast of Columbia, state health officials said Tuesday.

The state now has nine people diagnosed with COVID-19. Two of the cases have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while federal testing on the other seven are pending.

Seven of the cases are in and around Camden, a city of about 7,200 people about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northeast of Columbia.

The latest two positive tests were “household contacts” with the initial woman diagnosed on Friday and both people remain in the hospital, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control said in a statement.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

A bill was introduced in the state Senate on Tuesday that would require health insurers to not charge a co-pay for any coronavirus testing.

Also on Tuesday, the Columbia City Council voted to discourage people from attending meetings in person and watching them online for the next two months. The Council also will allow three of its members to call into meetings as long as three others attend in person as coronavirus protection.

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