BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 47 new COVID-19 deaths and 1,291 new cases in South Dakota Wednesday.

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

Brookings County cases have risen to 2,483 total cases (16 new confirmed and six new probable): 2,071 of those people have recovered (seven new), with 396 active cases (up by 15) and 16 deaths (no change). A total of 8,761 people (34 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Wednesday, and 83 people in the county (no change) have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

There are five COVID-19 occupied hospital 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 82,203 (1,291 new – 1,047 confirmed plus 244 probable) as of midday Wednesday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 14,857 are classified as active (up by 769 from Tuesday). As of Wednesday, 66,351 people have recovered (475 new), 4,626 people have been hospitalized at some point (54 new), 531 people are currently hospitalized (down by 16), and 995 people have died (47 new).

The SDDOH website reports 250,337 people (716 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 24 men, are being reported in Beadle, Bon Homme (5), Brown (3), Clay, Codington, Davison (4), Day, Hamlin (5), Hanson, Hughes, Hutchinson, Jones, Kingsbury, Lincoln (2), McCook (2), Minnehaha (7), Moody (2), Oglala Lakota, Pennington, Roberts, Stanley, Todd, Turner, Walworth and Yankton counties. The age ranges of the deceased are one 40-49 years, eight 60-69 years, eight 70-79 years and 30 in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases Wednesday included, but are not limited to, 33 in Beadle County, 72 in Brown, 45 in Codington, 26 in Davison, 30 in Hughes, 46 in Lawrence, 70 in Lincoln, 46 in Meade, 295 in Minnehaha, 28 in Oglala Lakota, 179 in Pennington, 32 in Todd and 30 in Yankton.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (20,947), Pennington (8,912), Lincoln (5,523), Brown (3,729) and Codington (2,745).

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Wednesday, five students and six faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 35 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Wednesday.

The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has 16 active cases, as of Tuesday: eight from Brookings High School, six from Mickelson Middle School and two 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.