38 new COVID-19 cases in Brookings Co. Saturday, Oct. 24

939 new COVID-19 cases, 10 new deaths in South Dakota Saturday

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BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 939 new COVID-19 cases and 10 new deaths in South Dakota Saturday.

Thirty-eight of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 1,344 total cases (38 new confirmed): 985 of those people have recovered (25 new), with 355 active cases (up by 12) and four deaths (no change). A total of 6,170 people (61 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Saturday, and 39 people in the county (no change) have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

There are five COVID-19 occupied hospital beds and one COVID-19 occupied ICU bed at the Brookings hospital as of 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 38,141 (939 new – 852 confirmed plus 87 probable) as of midday Saturday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 10,218 are classified as active (up by 356 from Friday). As of Saturday, 27,557 people have recovered (573 new), 2,378 people have been hospitalized at some point (42 new), 356 people are currently hospitalized (up by seven), and 366 people have died (10 new).

The SDDOH website reports 205,539 people (1,739 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, six women and four men, are being reported in Jerauld (4), Lincoln, Meade, Minnehaha (3) and Todd counties. The age ranges of the deceased are three 60-69 years, two 70-79 years, and five in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases Saturday included, but are not limited to, 31 in Beadle County, 38 in Brookings, 21 in Brown, 25 in Codington, 42 in Lawrence, 89 in Lincoln, 31 in Meade, 235 in Minnehaha, 27 in Oglala Lakota, 133 in Pennington and 33 in Yankton.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (10,204), Pennington (4,042), Lincoln (2,526), Brown (1,909) and Codington (1,387).

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Saturday, 34 students and two faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 133 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Saturday, with 14 of those in campus facilities.

The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has 10 active cases, as of Friday: four from Brookings High School, one from Mickelson Middle School, one from Hillcrest Elementary, one Medary Elementary and three listed as “Other.”

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.