BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 54 new COVID-19 deaths and 819 new cases in South Dakota Saturday.

Twenty-two of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 2,404 total cases (19 new confirmed and three new probable): 1,936 of those people have recovered (no change), with 452 active cases (up by 22) and 16 deaths (no change). A total of 8,680 people (43 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Saturday, and 78 people in the county (no change) have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

There are nine 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 79,099 (819 new – 721 confirmed plus 98 probable) as of midday Saturday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 17,106 are classified as active (up by 724 from Friday). As of Saturday, 61,051 people have recovered (41 new), 4,400 people have been hospitalized at some point (47 new), 539 people are currently hospitalized (down by 30), and 942 people have died (54 new).

The SDDOH website reports 246,277 people (1,073 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, 23 women and 31 men, are being reported in Aurora (2), Beadle, Brown, Buffalo (2), Charles Mix, Codington (4), Davison (4), Day (2), Faulk (2), Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jackson (2), Lincoln (2), Minnehaha (11), Oglala Lakota (2), Pennington (4), Roberts (2), Tripp (2), Turner (2), Union (2) and Walworth counties. The age ranges of the deceased are five 50-59 years, 11 in the 60-69 years cateogry, 13 in the 70-79 years category and 25 in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases Saturday included, but are not limited to, 44 in Brown County, 32 in Lincoln, 202 in Minnehaha, 90 in Pennington and 45 in Yankton.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (20,247), Pennington (8,465), Lincoln (5,353), Brown (3,588) and Codington (2,626).

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Saturday, nine students and three faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 50 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Saturday, with four of those in campus facilities.

The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has seven active cases, as of Saturday: four from Brookings High School, two from Mickelson Middle School and one from Hillcrest 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.