BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 173 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths in South Dakota Monday.

Fifteen of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 680 total positive cases (15 new Monday): 569 of those people have recovered (three new), with 109 active cases (up by 12) and two deaths. A total of 4,261 people (30 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Monday, and 10 people in the county have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

Brookings County remains in the “substantial” community spread category.

The number of South Dakotans who have tested positive for COVID-19 rose to 18,869 (173 new) as of midday Monday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 2,890 are classified as active (up by 47 from Sunday). As of Monday, 15,777 people have recovered (126 new), 1,297 people have been hospitalized at some point (nine new), 161 people are currently hospitalized (down by nine), and 202 people have died (no change).

Current hospitalizations may include out-of-state cases, and total hospitalizations only include South Dakota residents.

The SDDOH website reports 158,154 people have tested negative (497 new) in South Dakota.

South Dakota's test positivity rate for the last week is at 10.7%, and 10.9% for the last two weeks, according to the SDDOH website. Brookings County’s test positivity rate for the last week is at 15.5%, and 15.8% for the last two weeks.

Increases in positive cases Monday included, but are not limited to, 15 in Brookings County, 13 in Codington, 15 in Minnehaha and 20 in Pennington.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (6,231), Pennington (2,004), Lincoln (1,212), Brown (1,031) and Codington (719).

In its weekly report of COVID-19 cases within South Dakota schools, the DOH said there have been 963 total cases – 674 students and 289 staff, with 678 of them recovered – in K-12 schools from Aug. 9-Sept. 19. Active cases are being reported within 150 schools, and 737 South Dakota K-12 schools are not reporting any active cases as of Sept. 19.

The report also says from Aug. 9-Sept. 19, there have been 1,172 total COVID-19 cases – 1,115 students and 57 staff, with 1,043 of them recovered – within South Dakota colleges, universities and technical colleges. Twelve of the state’s colleges, universities, colleges and tech schools are reporting active cases as of Sept. 19, with three schools reporting no active cases.

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Monday, 30 students and five faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 138 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Monday, with 33 of those in campus facilities.

The actual number of infections in the state is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

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.