BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 39 new COVID-19 deaths and 2,138 new cases in South Dakota Friday.

Seventy-one of the new cases are in Brookings County.

The Friday numbers represent 48 hours of COVID data in South Dakota as the state Department of Health did not provide an update to coronavirus cases on Thanksgiving.

Brookings County cases have risen to 2,382 total cases (61 new confirmed and 10 new probable): 1,936 of those people have recovered (22 new), with 430 active cases (up by 49) and 16 deaths (no change). A total of 8,637 people (526 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Friday, and 78 people in the county (two new) 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 Friday.

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 78,280 (2,138 new – 1,926 confirmed plus 212 probable) as of midday Friday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 16,382 are classified as active (up by 1,070 from Wednesday). As of Friday, 61,010 people have recovered (1,029 new), 4,353 people have been hospitalized at some point (110 new), 569 people are currently hospitalized (down by one), and 888 people have died (39 new).

The SDDOH website reports 245,204 people (2,992 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, 20 women and 19 men, are being reported in Beadle (3), Brown (2), Clay, Codington (4), Corson, Davison (2), Day (2), Fall River, Grant, Gregory, Hughes, Hutchinson, Kingsbury, Lincoln (2), McCook (4), Minnehaha (3), Oglala Lakota, Pennington (2), Spink (2) and Turner (4) counties. The age ranges of the deceased are one 40-49 years, six 60-69 years, 12 in the 70-79 years category, and 20 in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases in the last two days included, but are not limited to, 37 in Beadle County, 71 in Brookings, 120 in Brown, 42 in Clay, 63 in Codington, 62 in Davison, 39 in Hughes, 39 in Lake, 59 in Lawrence, 139 in Lincoln, 48 in Meade, 552 in Minnehaha, 25 in Oglala Lakota, 253 in Pennington, 48 in Todd and 91 in Yankton.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (20,045), Pennington (8,375), Lincoln (5,321), Brown (3,544) and Codington (2,611).

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Friday, 12 students and three faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 54 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Friday, with four of those in campus facilities.

The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has 10 active cases, as of Wednesday: five from Brookings High School, two from Mickelson Middle School, one from Camelot Intermediate School, one from Hillcrest Elementary and one Medary 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.