BROOKINGS – The state is reporting four new COVID-19 deaths and 341 new cases in South Dakota Saturday.

Fifteen of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 3,283 total cases (10 new confirmed and five new probable): 3,007 of those people have recovered (five new), with 244 active cases (up by 10) and 32 deaths (no change). A total of 10,540 people (19 new) have tested negative in Brookings County, and 114 people (no change) in the county have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

There is one COVID-19 occupied hospital bed at the Brookings Hospital, the DOH website reported Saturday.

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

The number of COVID-19 cases in South Dakota rose to 105,278 (341 new – 253 confirmed plus 88 probable) as of midday Saturday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 4,837 are classified as active (up by 105 from Friday). As of Saturday, 98,808 people have recovered (232 new), 6,039 South Dakotans have been hospitalized at some point (16 new), 209 people are currently hospitalized (down by 18) for transmission-based precautions, and 1,633 people have died (four new).

The SDDOH website reports 285,242 people (671 new) have tested negative in South Dakota.

The new deaths, one woman and three men, are being reported in Hutchinson, Lincoln and Minnehaha (2) counties. The age ranges of the deceased are one 60-69 years, one 70-79 years and two in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases Saturday included, but are not limited to, 25 in Lincoln County, 51 in Minnehaha, 33 in Pennington adn 69 in Yankton.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (26,339), Pennington (12,015), Lincoln (7,215), Brown (4,755) and Codington (3,661).

The SDDOH website reported midday Saturday that 55,531 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to 45,796 people in South Dakota.

In Brookings County, 1,498 vaccine doses have been administered to 1,281 people.

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.