WATCH: DHEC provides COVID update as cases rise, prepares for back to school

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) held a statewide update on COVID-19 at 11:00 a.m.

The meeting opened with a discussion about community transmission and preparations for back to school. DHEC said they’re advising parents to review the 2022-2023 COVID recommendations available on their website.

Students and teachers can return to class five days after an infection since symptoms set in. Infected individuals will need to have had no fever for 24 hours without the help of medication and symptoms need to be getting better.

DHEC said students returning to class after an infection should wear a mask for five days, otherwise they should do a ten day quarantine.

This conference comes a day after DHEC released updated case numbers for July 17th through 23rd. On Tuesday, July 26, 2022 the department reported:

16,570 new cases
9 new deaths
538 hospitalizations

Overall, the state saw a 29.5% rise in cases compared to the previous four week average. In that same time period deaths are down 72.3% but hospitalizations rose 44%.

Weekly COVID-19 update for July 17-23: 16,570 new cases, 9 new deaths, and a percent positive of 25.7%. See today's updated COVID-19 and vaccine data at https://t.co/oiUxquMikQ.
— SCDHEC (@scdhec) July 26, 2022