44 new cases in S.C. announced Tuesday

UPDATE: Two deaths were reported Tuesday night. To read the story, click here.

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As of Tuesday afternoon, South Carolina has 342 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, including four new cases in Sumter and one new case in Clarendon County.

Cases in the state are spread among 36 counties, including a total of 58 in Kershaw County to Sumter's north. Tuesday's update from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control includes only four new cases in the county of about 65,500. While Kershaw is the state's 22nd most-populous county, it remains with the most confirmed cases behind Richland, Greenville, Charleston and Beaufort.

Sumter County's eight total cases is the 10th-highest number of cases in the state, and Sumter is the 15th most-populous county.

With social distancing and self-isolation now percolating through communities as public health and state officials continue to urge people to stay home, Jonathan Knoche, a DHEC physician, said state resources are available for those dealing with stress and anxiety.

"While we reiterate the importance of taking daily precautions to prevent spread, we want to make sure South Carolinians are also taking steps to address the feelings of stress and anxiety that arise in this type of prolonged situation," Knoche said.

For more information and articles about coping with the stress and anxiety that may be stemming from this pandemic, go to https://scdmh.net/welcome/covid-19-resources/.