COUNTY — Pickens County was up to 13 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus early this week, according to figures released by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The latest numbers announced Tuesday were unavailable at press time, but Pickens County’s 13 cases were part of 925 cases of the virus confirmed in 41 counties across the state as of Monday.

In addition, officials unveiled a list Friday of the ZIP codes statewide that had reported at least one case of COVID-19. With 10 confirmed cases in Pickens County at the time of the release of that information, the ZIP codes where cases had been confirmed were the 29640 and 29642 codes in Easley and Six Mile’s 29682. Updated information on ZIP code breakdowns was unavailable at press time Tuesday.

On Monday, DHEC officials said 18 people had died of coronavirus-related conditions in the state, including the death of an elderly person from Anderson County with underlying health conditions.

Officials announced 151 new confirmed cases of the virus on Monday, and many more were expected on Tuesday. Experts estimated last week that the state could be up to more than 8,000 cases of the virus by May 2.

“We’re all in this together,” DHEC physician Dr. Brannon Traxler said. “Today’s announcement is a stark reminder of the serious threat that COVID-19 poses to our families, friends, and communities. We encourage all South Carolinians to continue to listen to the guidance of our public health professionals and to, when possible, stay home and limit your close contact with others.”

Late last week, DHEC reported a backlog of specimens to be tested that had developed at DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory due to a nationwide shortage in the chemicals required to perform testing. As of Friday, DHEC’s laboratory had all the necessary chemicals and was operating extended hours and testing specimens seven days a week. Officials said Monday that the laboratory had a turnaround time of 24-48 hours once specimens are received at the lab.

DHEC’s COVID-19 webpage is updated daily with a map of positive cases, as well as the most current recommendations for protecting against COVID-19.

“We recognize that this is a challenging time and that what we’re calling on everyone across our state to do is not easy,” Traxler said. “But the risk of inaction is far too great. If we all don’t follow the guidance for social distancing and staying home, then we can anticipate seeing higher rates of cases similar to what we’ve seen in other states.”

All South Carolinians are encouraged to stay home and minimize contact with people outside their households to prevent the spread of the disease. Everyone is encouraged to monitor themselves for symptoms, practice social distancing, avoid touching frequently touched items, and regularly wash their hands.

Anyone with concerns about their health should reach out to their health care provider or use the telehealth services provided by several health care systems. For telehealth options and the latest information about DHEC’s COVID-19 response efforts, visit scdhec.gov/COVID-19. Visit scdmh.net for stress, anxiety and mental health resources from the S.C. Department of Mental Health.