<strong>By Mike McCombs</strong>

Beaufort County has reported its second death as a result of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, according to numbers released Wednesday afternoon by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).

The county also saw 10 new confirmed cases, bringing the total 101. Statewide, there were 210 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the total statewide to 1,293 cases in 43 counties*.

Beaufort County’s death was among four announced Wednesday, bringing the state’s total number of deaths to 26.

All four patients were elderly individuals who also had underlying health conditions. The other three were residents of Anderson, Lee, and Richland counties.

“Every day that we unfortunately have to report these losses is a reminder of how serious this situation is and the obligation we all have to help prevent the loss of additional South Carolinians,” DHEC medical consultant Dr. Brannon Traxler said in a release. “Social distancing and staying home can help save lives.”

<em>*As new information is provided to DHEC, some changes in cases may occur. Cases are reported based on the individual’s county of residence, as it is provided to DHEC. DHEC’s COVID-19 map will adjust to reflect any reclassified cases.</em>