South Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor Returns After COVID-19
The Latest (9/22/20):
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has returned to public life after being diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month.
Evette came to the South Carolina House chambers on Tuesday, meeting with members, giving hugs telling the story of how she recovered from the virus over and over again. She was wearing a mask.
Evette, 53, had a sore throat and a headache on Sept. 10 and sought out a coronavirus test that came back positive a day later. Her family and members of her security detail isolated themselves also.
Health officials said they canβt pinpoint where Evette got the virus, but they did inform anyone who had close contact with her, including an appearance to thank workers at a suicide prevention hotline in Greenville on Sept. 8.
House Speaker Jay Lucas welcomed Evette back to the House chamber. The Hartsville Republican joked from his location presiding over the House on the other side of the room βif itβs OK with you, Iβll just wave.β
Evette is one of at least 134,800 people in South Carolina to get COVID-19, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The state has reported 3,040 deaths since the pandemic began in March.
South Carolinaβs cases continue to slowly decline for the most part. The seven-day average of new cases is around 775, some of the lowest numbers since mid-June. The percentage of positive tests is also continuing a regular decline.
Original Story (9/14/20):
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, but is recovering in isolation with her family at home, officials said.
Evette had a sore throat and headache Thursday and was tested for the virus. She has stayed at her familyβs home near Greenville since noting the symptoms, said Brian Symmes, the spokesman for Gov. Henry McMaster.
βShe is feeling better now,β said Symmes, adding Evette plans to stay out of the public for two weeks.
Evetteβs positive test prompted McMaster and his wife to get COVID-19 tests, which both came back negative Sunday. It was the fifth negative test since the pandemic began for the governor and the third for his wife, Symmes said.
Two members of Evetteβs staff and some of her security detail are also isolating but have not tested positive for COVID-19, Symmes said.
Health officials traced Evetteβs contacts for two days, including an appearance to thank workers at a suicide prevention hotline in Greenville on Sept. 8.
Evette, 53, and the 73-year-old governor were last together on Sept. 6, as they watched a NASCAR race at Darlington Speedway, Symmes said.
But where the lieutenant governor was infected with the virus will likely never be known, said Brannon Traxler, interim public health director for South Carolina.
βIts almost impossible in these situations to determine where someone was exposed,β Traxler said.
South Carolinaβs rate of COVID-19 infection has dropped significantly since it nearly led the country in July. The state is currently seeing an average of about 870 cases a day, down from the seven-day average peak of nearly 1,950 cases in mid-July.
But since students have returned to schools and colleges, the state has seen the decline in cases stop and begin rising again.
Evette released a statement Monday saying her infection shows how easily the virus is spread and asking people to keep wearing masks, social distancing and getting tested if they have any reason to think they might have COVID-19.
βIβm fortunate to have had only mild symptoms and Iβm already feeling much better. David has taken GREAT care of me!β Evette wrote on social media, thanking her husband for his help.
