Buried in the latest covid-19 data are 5 encouraging signs.

1. As many as 8 in 10 people tested in South Carolina have not been infected.

Positive rates for the virus average 18% to 22%, and that varies daily.

7,230 test results were reported to SC health officials Sunday.

21.2% tested positive as infected. 78.8% tested negative as not infected.

2. The overall recovery rate is an estimated 97% to 99.75%.

Scientists are constantly tracking recoveries but can count only confirmed cases.

They can’t count those who don’t get tested.

And they don’t have information about the outcome of every infection.

3. About 80% of those who are infected will have only mild illness.

Mild cases can make you feel ill, but you can rest at home and recover without going to the hospital.

4. Deaths haven’t surged in the same way that infections have.

Early this week, the Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 1,532 new confirmed cases and 13 confirmed deaths in SC.

This brings the total confirmed cases to 58,003, probable cases to 165, confirmed deaths to 961 and 11 probable deaths.

Less than 1,000 deaths, tragic as that is, is but a fraction of our 5.2 million South Carolinians.

5. Rising case numbers are partly attributable to expanded testing.

That has detected asymptomatic or less-severe cases, often among younger people.

Treatments have improved, and health-care systems are better equipped to deal with the sickest.

Epidemiologists caution that deaths often lag behind other indicators.

In our state, infections climbed more than 25% last week.

DHEC said about 76% of SC hospital beds are in use, but corona virus patients were in only about 17% of the more than 8,000 occupied beds.

Dr. Cassandra Salgado, director of the infectiousdiseases division at the Medical University of South Carolina, said that in the Charleston area, those entering hospitals for the virus are younger and had better recovery rates than older, vulnerable people.

Dr. Salgado said people are worried about how prevalent the virus will be this fall and winter.

“That has the potential to have probably bigger waves than what we’re seeing now,” she said.