COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – In the first week of economic disruption from the coronavirus, more than 31,000 people said they lost their jobs in South Carolina.
The state Thursday released unemployment claims for the week ending March 21, and the 31,054 claims were almost the same number of jobless claims filed over the first 11 weeks of 2020 combined, including a big spike after the temporary jobs created around Christmas.
If all claims were approved, the number of people without a job in South Carolina would climb 55% from the January unemployment figures when the state Department of Employment and Workforce reported about 56,500 people out of work and a jobless rate of 2.4%.
The sharpest increases in jobless claims last week came from Horry County and Charleston County, where the closing of bars and restaurants and the sharp decline in tourism hurt the most.
Officials had been bracing for bad employment news across the county as people are told to stay home as the coronavirus spreads.
More than 420 COVID-19 cases have been reported in South Carolina with seven deaths, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control said in its daily update Wednesday.
Health officials also released their first predictions on the virus’ spread Wednesday, suggesting South Carolina could have more than 2,650 cases by April 2 and more than 8,050 cases by May 2, DHEC said.
The agency said the predictions are based on mathematical modeling on cases already reported and warned the estimate could change significantly.
The apparent spread could be slowed if people stay at home or warm weather does turn out to slow the spread of the virus – or accelerate it if people head to the beach in groups or hold block parties during this weekend’s nice weather or more tests are done on people who may have COVID-19 but show no symptoms.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
A push to get Gov. Henry McMaster to issued a statewide stay at home order that would shut businesses like gyms, barber shops and nail salons is expected to keep growing Thursday.
The Town Council on Hilton Head Island is meeting Thursday to consider a resolution asking McMaster to issue the order. Columbia City Council is also meeting and may take up its own proposal.
Earlier this week, the state’s largest city, Charleston, issued its own stay-at-home order and two Republican House members sent the governor a letter asking for him to act.
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Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP.
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