Covid-19 infections and deaths are falling in Lexington County.

Since Wednesday, August 12, the county has lost no lives on 7 of 12 days.

In 5 of those 12 days, health officials reported 15 local deaths. The county had only 22 confirmed cases of infection Sunday.

Encouraging statistics are found in SC and the US. Only 16 South Carolinians have died since last Thursday.

Only 2 South Carolinians died Sunday, down from a peak of 55 deaths a day.

In the US, 34,567 new cases were reported Sunday.

This was the lowest level in more than 2 months and 9th straight day with fewer than 50,000 new cases.

That is down from 44,572 on Saturday and the lowest since June 22, when the US reported 30,536 new cases.

Other good news

• The Food and Drug Administration authorized use of convalescent plasma, the antibody-rich blood component taken from recovered covid-19 patients, to treat serious corona virus cases.

The emergency approval falls short of full approval but the FDA will evaluate more evidence.

• Stocks advanced to fresh highs, buoyed by optimism about the possible treatment for coronavirus.

The S&P 500 rose 34.12 points, or 1%, to 3431.28, setting its 3rd closing record in the last week.

Technology-heavy Nasdaq rose 67.92 points, or 0.6%, its 37th record this year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 378.13 points, or 1.4%.

• Home prices and sales plus the economy gained momentum in August.

• Businesses see demand returning as they reopen from the lockdown and put people back to work

• The economy so far has managed to weather July’s sharp rise in covid-19 infections and business closures.