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<p class=""><span class="">The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced two additional deaths related to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. This brings the state’s total number of deaths to nine.</span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">One patient was an elderly person from Kershaw County who had underlying health conditions. The second patient was an elderly person from Sumter County who also had underlying health conditions.</span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">“Our condolences go out to the family and friends of these individuals and to all those in South Carolina who have suffered the loss of loved ones to COVID-19,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC physician consultant, said in a release. “This unfortunate announcement is a reminder of the importance of taking actions to protect ourselves, our family and friends, and our community from this disease.”</span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">DHEC also is investigating 32 additional cases of COVID-19. This brings the total number statewide to 456 cases in 39 counties.</span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">The fluctuation in the number of new cases from day to day reflects the availability of the reagents, or chemicals, needed for laboratories to perform the testing. There is currently a shortage of these reagents nationwide, including in South Carolina, which can lead to delays in test results.</span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">As new information is provided to the department, some changes in cases may occur. Cases are reported based on the individual’s county of residence, as it is provided to the department.</span></p>

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