Two more people in South Carolina have died from coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 15 deaths, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Both patients  -- one from Richland County and the other from Horry County -- were elderly with underlying health conditions, DHEC said.

“Our sincere sympathies are with the family and friends of these individuals as well as the family and friends of everyone who has lost someone to this disease,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC physician. “Having to report two additional deaths today is a critical reminder of how serious this situation is and how we all have a responsibility to protect ourselves and our communities from the spread of COVID-19.”

The state is reporting 121 additional coronavirus cases, bringing the statewide total to 660 cases in 40 counties.

According to DHEC, here is the breakdown of the new cases:

Aiken County: 1 case
Anderson County: 4 cases
Beaufort County: 4 cases
Berkeley County: 3 cases
Charleston County: 16 cases
Chester County: 1 case
Clarendon County: 1 case
Colleton County: 2 cases
Dorchester County: 1 case
Florence County: 1 case
Georgetown County: 3 cases
Greenville County: 6 cases
Greenwood County: 1 case
Horry County: 4 cases
Kershaw County: 7 cases
Lancaster County: 1 case
Laurens County: 2 cases
Lee County: 3 cases
Lexington County: 5 cases
Newberry County: 1 case
Orangeburg County: 2 cases
Pickens County: 3 cases
Richland County: 16 cases
Spartanburg County: 5 cases
Sumter County: 14 cases
Williamsburg County: 1 case
York County: 13 cases

According to DHEC,, the surge in new cases stem from a backlog that had developed at DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory due to a nationwide shortage in the chemicals required for performing testing.   DHEC said it  has the necessary chemicals and is now processing tests as normal.