Even with stepped up testing, new covid-19 cases and death rates are falling.

Lexington County has had no deaths in 3 of the last 5 days, and the state has had 5 or fewer deaths per day.

US officials reported less than 50,000 new cases the 2nd day in a row Monday.

New US case averages suggest infections are declining. As of Monday, the 7-day average was about 54,409 cases, below the 2-week average of about 57,433 a week, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Vaccine forecast

Scientists and drug makers differ on when a safe covid-19 vaccine will be ready for distribution.

The optimists have said as early as late fall. The cautious say early next year. The skeptics say next March.

The 1st US vaccine tested revved up 45 volunteers’ immune systems as scientists had hoped. Even ever-cautious Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious disease expert, called this “good news.”

An experimental vaccine developed by Fauci’s colleagues at the National Institutes of Health, started a 30,000-person study last month to see if the shots are strong enough to protect us.

The first 45 volunteers developed neutralizing antibodies in their bloodstream that blocks the infection.

Latest numbers

State health officials reported 49 more deaths Tuesday, but only 7 occurred that day. The other 42 occurred earlier in August. None were in Lexington County.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control Tuesday announced:

• 928 new confirmed cases and 16 new probable cases.

• Confirmed cases were 101,360, probable cases 770, confirmed deaths 2,012 and 80 probable deaths.

DHEC report stepped up testing is producing more positive test results but with more than 80% testing negative as uninfected.

DHEC reported our county has 34 new cases but not when they were reported.