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By Sammy Fretwell 
 COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina reported 687 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday as the infectious disease continues to pound the state since Gov. Henry McMaster eased restrictions in early May.
 That’s the highest number of cases reported to date and it underscores the need to practice social distancing and wear masks, said Joan Duwve, director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control’s health division.
 The percentage of positive cases has jumped above 12% in recent days, a high number that indicates COVID 19 is spreading across South Carolina, she told the agency board Thursday morning.
 All told, the state has had 16,441 cases as of Thursday. About 40% of the state’s cases have been diagnosed during the past three weeks, she said. She said 575 people have died from the disease, many of them older than 65.
 Duwve said clusters of the disease are being found. In some cases, multiple family members are being infected with COVID 19, she said.
 She noted that McMaster does not plan to shut down the state again, so South Carolina needs to take other steps to address COVID 19.
 “Steps would include social distancing and wearing a mask,” she said, noting “that we all have work to do.”
 Many people are wearing masks, but many are not, she said. Duwve said an agency employee reported visiting two different health care facilities and seeing workers there with masks hanging around their necks, rather than covering their mouths and noses to contain the disease.
 They were “not protecting themselves, not protecting their patients,” Duwve said.
 South Carolina, like many Southern states, has dropped most restrictions that were implemented in the spring to stop the spread of COVID 19. People have crowded beaches, walkways and stores, many of them not wearing masks or keeping their distance. Protests also have had people in close proximity to each other.
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South Carolina reports record number of new coronavirus cases