BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 36 new COVID-19 deaths and 1,144 new cases in South Dakota Saturday.
One new death and 18 of the new cases are in Brookings County.
Brookings County cases have risen to 2,222 total cases (16 new confirmed and two new probable): 1,761 of those people have recovered (77 new), with 445 active cases (down by 60) and 16 deaths (one new). A total of 7,747 people (34 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Saturday, and 72 people in the county (one new) have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.
There are seven COVID-19 occupied hospital beds at the Brookings Hospital, the DOH website reported Saturday.
Brookings County remains in the “substantial” community spread category.
The state Department of Health data includes confirmed COVID-19 cases via traditional RT-PCR testing, plus probable cases based on rapid antigen testing, which detects the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Probable cases are investigated and handled in the same way as confirmed cases, DOH officials said.
The number of COVID-19 cases in South Dakota rose to 72,214 (1,144 new – 1,011 confirmed plus 133 probable) as of midday Saturday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.
Of the statewide cases, 16,867 are classified as active (down by 1,540 from Friday). As of Saturday, 54,570 people have recovered (2,648 new), 4,052 people have been hospitalized at some point (59 new), 580 people are currently hospitalized (up by six), and 777 people have died (36 new).
The SDDOH website reports 236,956 people (1,157 new) have tested negative in South Dakota.
Current hospitalizations may include out-of-state cases, and total hospitalizations only include South Dakota residents.
The deaths reported on the SDDOH data dashboard are deaths for which COVID-19 is listed as a cause or contributing factor on the certified death record.
The new deaths, 18 women and 18 men, are being reported in Brookings, Brown (2), Charles Mix (3), Custer (2), Davison (5), Fall River, Hamlin, Hughes (3), Lincoln, Minnehaha (4), Pennington (5), Perkins (2), Potter, Roberts, Union (3) and Ziebach counties. The age ranges of the deceased are two 50-59 years, five 60-69 years, eight 70-79 years and 21 in the 80-plus years category.
Increases in positive cases Saturday included, but are not limited to, 36 in Beadle County, 71 in Brown, 41 in Charles Mix, 47 in Codington, 41 in Davison, 30 in Hughes, 87 in Lincoln, 286 in Minnehaha and 71 in Pennington.
The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (18,533), Pennington (7,679), Lincoln (4,921), Brown (3,213) and Codington (2,450).
According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Saturday, 19 students and eight faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 94 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Saturday, with 10 of those in campus facilities.
The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has 13 active cases, as of Friday: three from Brookings High School, four from Mickelson Middle School, two from Camelot Intermediate School, one from Dakota Prairie Elementary, two from Hillcrest Elementary and one Medary Elementary.
The state Department of Health generally does not identify the specific communities within a county where cases are located, or a business, event or setting that may be the source of a surge to protect patient confidentiality.
Only a few exceptions are made, such as clusters when there are 40 or more cases identified in a single workplace/setting.
The figures released by the state Department of Health do not include individuals who are asymptomatic or have symptoms of the coronavirus but are not being tested.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
Learn more at www.covid.sd.gov.
