When beaches started to welcome back people, there were already concerns that COVID-19 cases may surge again. Over in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, there were a lot of people who went out after spending months holed up in their home. Unfortunately, this also spelled disaster in some ways and something that would give the coronavirus to continue its wrath. And the result of all that is seeing Myrtle Beach as one of the hotspots right now, with COVID-19 cases jumping to 1,600 from less than 300 at the start of June.
Of those cases, it would be best to note that it only covers residents over at Horry County. These figures do not include visitors that head there for vacation. To try and prevent the virus from the further spread, Director of Communicable Disease Control for the Roanoke Alleghany Health districts Dr. Molly O’Dell has issued a warning to people who may have gone to Myrtle Beach and returned to their respective homes recently, WDBJ reported.
“One of the significant locations people are going and coming back positive over and over again is Myrtle Beach,” O’Dell said. “We are actually suggesting that people who go, to quarantine themselves for 14 days because we’ve had so many positives from Myrtle Beach.”
The number of coronavirus cases over in Myrtle Beach spiked by 183 based on the latest figures coming from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The number is a new record-high for the area, bringing up the total to 2,372 since the outbreak began. So far, there have been 42 deaths related to COVID-19 over there.
Moving forward, the best that can be done is reminding everyone to continue to practice the standard guidelines to prevent COVID-19 infection. That includes wearing masks, social distancing and practicing proper hygiene at all times. It looms as the only preventive measure for now to prevent the spread of the virus.
On the part of Horry County, the Welcome Back Committee is also taking measures for visitors who plan to visit the area. They have put up a website to serve as a resource for visitors. This includes information on reopening guidelines for businesses, the latest information about the coronavirus and healthy hygiene practices.
“We want visitors to come and enjoy our 60 miles of beautiful beaches, but we are asking everyone to make the promise to do their part to limit the spread of the virus and help ensure our community remains open for all to enjoy,” Karen Riordan, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO, said.