<strong>By Mike McCombs</strong>

Since the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) began providing a school report that includes for every school both cumulative and rolling 30-day counts of confirmed COVID-19 cases among students, teachers and faculty members, the site (https://scdhec.gov/covid-19-cases-associated-staff-students) has been a work in progress.

As of Tuesday, Sept. 8, when The Island News first reported numbers from the site, all Beaufort County Schools were on one list. Since then, DHEC has divided the state into public and private schools, as well as moving all charter schools into one district.

There were also several private schools from Beaufort County missing. Now, all except St. Peter’s Catholic are listed, and DHEC spokesperson Laura Renwick said that would soon be taken care of.

As far as the numbers themselves, they must be a work in progress, too.

In last Tuesday’s report, two schools in Beaufort County had reported cases of Covid-19 among students. This week, one of those schools is shown with zero cases – Lowcountry Montessori.

“The data within this school reporting is expected to change as new information is learned about previously reported cases,” Renwick said. “We are focusing on reporting cases associated with in-person instruction or attendance. Through our follow-up investigations of positive cases, if cases are determined to be individuals who attend school virtually, they are removed from the dashboard.”<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

This week, among schools in The Island News’ coverage area, two schools had positive cases listed on the site. Coosa Elementary has fewer than five cases among faculty, and John Paul II has fewer than five cases among students.

Beaufort County School District began virtual learning Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Beaufort Academy, which began in-person learning on August 12, still has no positive cases, according to DHEC.

Department of Defense Education Activities (DoDEA) schools at Laurel Bay are not listed in the report.

<em>Mike McCombs is the Editor of<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.


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<b>THE LAST WEEK<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b>

<b>Monday, Sept. 14</b>

<b>New S.C. Cases: </b>525

<b>S.C. deaths: </b>7

<b>New Beaufort Co. Cases: </b>23

<b>Beaufort Co. deaths: </b>1

<b>Percent Positive: </b>9.8

<b>Sunday, Sept. 13</b>

<b>New S.C. Cases: </b>515

<b>S.C. deaths: </b>24

<b>New Beaufort Co. Cases: </b>11

<b>Beaufort Co. deaths: </b>1

<b>Percent Positive: </b>9.4

<b>Saturday, Sept. 12</b>

<b>New S.C. Cases: </b>827

<b>S.C. deaths: </b>17

<b>New Beaufort Co. Cases: </b>31

<b>Beaufort Co. deaths: </b>0

<b>Percent Positive: </b>12.7

<b>Friday, Sept. 11</b>

<b>New S.C. Cases: </b>951

<b>S.C. deaths: </b>53

<b>New Beaufort Co. Cases: </b>37

<b>Beaufort Co. deaths: </b>2

<b>Percent Positive: </b>14.9

<b>Thursday, Sept. 10</b>

<b>New S.C. Cases: </b>264

<b>S.C. deaths: </b>24

<b>New Beaufort Co. Cases: </b>14

<b>Beaufort Co. deaths: </b>0

<b>Percent Positive: </b>6.0

<b>Wednesday, Sept. 9</b>

<b>New S.C. Cases: </b>250

<b>S.C. deaths: </b>29

<b>New Beaufort Co. Cases: </b>9

<b>Beaufort Co. deaths: </b>1

<b>Percent Positive: </b>14.3

<b>Tuesday, Sept. 8</b>

<b>New S.C. Cases: </b>339

<b>S.C. deaths: </b>5

<b>New Beaufort Co. Cases: </b>6

<b>Beaufort Co. deaths: </b>0

<b>Percent Positive: </b>11.3

<b>THE NUMBERS<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b>

From S.C. DHEC

<b>Totals</b>

As of Monday, Sept. 14

<b>S.C. confirmed cases: </b>130,256

<b>S.C. probable cases: </b>2,424

<b>S.C. confirmed deaths: </b>2,922

<b>S.C. probable deaths: </b>155

<b>Beaufort County cases: </b>5,180

<b>Beaufort County deaths: </b>73

<b>THE AVERAGES</b>

<b>Last week’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>524.4

<b>Previous week’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>866.9

<b>Two weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>782.7

<b>Three weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>755.6

<b>Four weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>790.9

<b>Five weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>1074.4

<b>Six weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>1,418.1

<b>Seven weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>1,449.6

<b>Eight weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>1,860.2

<b>Nine weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>1,663.1

<b>10 weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>1,604.1

<b>11 weeks ago’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: </b>1,263.6

<b>Last week’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>18.7

<b>Previous week’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>31.0

<b>Two weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>23.1

<b>Three weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>29.0

<b>Four weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>35.7

<b>Five weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>65.4

<b>Six weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>83.3

<b>Seven weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>83.9

<b>Eight weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>72.4

<b>Nine weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>72.6

<b>10 weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>52.4

<b>11 weeks ago’s 7-day average new cases, county: </b>38.9

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