BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 1,270 new COVID-19 cases and nine new deaths in South Dakota Wednesday.

Thirteen of the new cases and one death are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 1,426 total cases (12 new confirmed and one new probable): 1,057 of those people have recovered (24 new), with 364 active cases (down by 12) and five deaths (one new). A total of 6,352 people (16 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Wednesday, and 45 people in the county (four new) have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

There are 13 COVID-19 occupied hospital beds and two COVID-19 occupied ICU beds at the Brookings hospital, the DOH website reported Wednesday.

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 42,000 (1,270 new – 1,095 confirmed plus 175 probable) as of midday Wednesday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 11,933 are classified as active (up by 745 from Tuesday). As of Wednesday, 29,683 people have recovered (516 new), 2,545 people have been hospitalized at some point (62 new), 412 people are currently hospitalized (up by 17), and 384 people have died (nine new).

The SDDOH website reports 209,296 people (861 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, three women and six men, are being reported in Brookings, Campbell, Codington (2), Lake, Minnehaha, Oglala Lakota and Walworth (2) counties. The age ranges of the deceased are one 50-59 years, one 60-69 years, one 70-79 years, and six in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases Wednesday included, but are not limited to, 28 in Beadle County, 38 in Bon Homme, 31 in Brown, 40 in Butte, 36 in Codington, 42 in Davison, 47 in Lawrence, 98 in Lincoln, 28 in Meade, 284 in Minnehaha, 29 in Oglala Lakota, 142 in Pennington, 22 in Turner and 41 in Yankton.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (11,281), Pennington (4,381), Lincoln (2,759), Brown (2,014) and Codington (1,479).

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Wednesday, 19 students and 14 faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 101 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Wednesday, with six of those in campus facilities.

The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has five active cases, as of Wednesday: three from Brookings High School, one from Camelot Intermediate School and one from Dakota Prairie 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.