Predicted South Carolina COVID-19 deaths rise as more reopening debated

COLUMBIA, S.C. — As South Carolina continues to reopen from the coronavirus, the state’s predicted peak of cases has been pushed further into the future, with hundreds of additional deaths.

The new prediction is for more than 1,100 deaths by early August from COVID-19.

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Less than two weeks ago, state health officials predicted less than 700 deaths by early August.

On Tuesday, Gov. Henry McMaster is leading a meeting of his Accelerate SC committee discussing reopening.

Meanwhile, health officials are trying to expand testing, especially in areas with more African Americans who represent 27% of the state’s population, but 53% of the COVID-19 deaths.

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