COLUMBIA — Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Friday that requires all schools in Kershaw and Lancaster counties to close in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the state's public health agency reported an additional presumptive case of the new virus in Camden, bringing the state's total to 13. Eleven of those are in the same social circle.

"We do not have widespread transmission in the state at this time," but more cases are expected, said Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist with the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Most South Carolinians should "continue their daily routines" while following basic hygiene recommendations such as frequent hand washing, covering your coughs and staying home if sick, Bell said.

McMaster's order restricted visitation to nursing homes and assisted living centers statewide, allowing visitors only for patients in end-of-life situations.

His declaration also immediately suspended visitation to county jails, as well as prisons. The state Department of Corrections had already restricted visitation to inmates. The order also triggered anti-price-gouging laws.

The school closures begin Monday and will last for at least 14 days, the length of time it can take for someone exposed to the virus to feel sick. They are being required in counties where the new coronavirus strain is known to be spreading from person to person.

"The past 48 hours has seen remarkable activity across our nation. Professional and college sporting events have been cancelled, March Madness, the Masters, the Carolina Cup, the Volvo Car Open and we don’t know what’s next. … Even church services have been canceled as we approach Easter," McMaster said.

"Many South Carolinians are anxious and worried. They’re worried about their families ... their jobs, their friends and co-workers and their own health. That is entirely understandable under these circumstances," he continued. "We will get through this, and we will get through it by using our heads, by being smart, by being deliberate and staying calm and by using common sense and always by working together."

Of the 13 cases of COVID-19, its official name, in South Carolina, nine are in Kershaw County. The two in Lancaster County live in the same home and are close contacts to previously identified patients in Kershaw County, according to DHEC.

In the two other known cases — one each in Spartanburg and Charleston counties — the patients recently returned home from a country with widespread transmission of the virus.

Whether other schools will close is uncertain. Districts should consult with the state Department of Health and Environment Control on if and when schools should close and for how long.

McMaster discussed his order, issued just before 5 p.m. Friday, less than two hours after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency.

Sign up for our new health newsletter The best of health, hospital and science coverage in South Carolina, delivered to your inbox weekly. Email

Sign Up!

I have declared a state of emergency in South Carolina in response to COVID-19. -Schools in Lancaster and Kershaw Counties shall be closed for a period of 14 dayshttps://t.co/q6hirJL5PP(1/3) — Gov. Henry McMaster (@henrymcmaster) March 13, 2020

Trump's declaration allows the federal government to distribute $50 billion to states and local governments "in our shared fight against the disease," he said. He also ordered every state to immediately set up emergency operation centers.

The orders come a day after an unprecedented wave of cancellations of major events and suspensions of entire sports seasons.

McMaster asked legislators Thursday to give the state Department of Health and Environment Control access to $45 million in state reserves to respond to the outbreak. That's the amount the agency says it needs for a worst-case scenario.

It includes $15 million for personal protective equipment for DHEC staff, $15 million for additional employees and overtime, $5 million for lab supplies and other support, $2.5 million for educating the public, $1.7 million for quarantining poor people, and $1.4 million for transporting lab samples.

Leaders in both chambers said they fully support the request. The Senate will take up the legislation next week.

As of Friday, 123 people with symptoms had been tested for the virus. Results found that 110 of them did not have it, according to the agency. So far, seven of the 13 presumptive cases have been confirmed by federal officials.

Testing will be more widely available. Previously, a DHEC consultant had to approve each person for testing, as per federal criteria, Bell said.

That rule has changed, allowing doctors to make the decision themselves. However, testing will still be limited to people with symptoms, she said.

Most people have mild symptoms but some have developed severe conditions which can be fatal. There are no known deaths from the virus in South Carolina. Those most at risk are the elderly and people with preexisting conditions such as obesity, diabetes, respiratory conditions or heart disease.

Worldwide, there are 125,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, and 4,600 have died since it was first discovered in China in December, according to the World Health Organization, which declared a global pandemic Wednesday.

Staff writer Gregory Yee contributed to this report.