Spike in county COVID-19 cases over weekend reported

• Free testing set for Clinton, Fountain Inn

The total number of cases of COVID-19 in Laurens County as reported by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has grown to 174.

DHEC reported 34 more confirmed cases in the county Sunday on 23 on Monday. Sunday’s total was a new single-day record for Laurens County.

Joey Avery, Laurens County Emergency Services Director, said the surge in cases, which also includes double-digit growth over the weekend, is due to increased free testing at an event on June 4 at E.B. Morse Elementary School. Around 400 free tests were administered during testing on June 4 and this past Thursday.

“We did do the free testing at E.B. Morse, and those tests are coming back, so that could account for some of that,” Avery said.

Sunday’s total grew by three additional cases on DHEC’s updated website Wednesday morning. Additional confirmed cases were reported in Clinton (73) and Laurens (47), totals that grew by several cases from Monday’s report.

Laurens County has added an additional 70 confirmed cases over the past week, and increase of 41%.

Avery said additional free testing is planned for Clinton High School from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24. Drive-thru testing will be available at the CHS gym parking lot. Prisma Health also announced a free testing location at Fountain Inn Elementary School this Thursday (June 18) from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

“I’d like to see a large number of people interested in being tested,” Avery said. “It’s one of the best things we can do.”

Avery urged people to continue social distancing, wearing masks and continue to wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.

Statewide, DHEC reported 595 additional cases, bringing the total to 19,990 confirmed COVID-19 cases Tuesday along with 607 deaths.

State officials also said additional testing has served its purpose by helping them track and get treatment for people who are ill with the novel coronavirus.