BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 105 new positive COVID-19 cases and four new deaths in South Dakota Thursday.

Five of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 127 total positive cases (five new Thursday): 108 of those people have recovered, with 18 active cases and one death. A total of 2,610 people have tested negative in Brookings County as of Wednesday, and four people in the county have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

Brookings County remains in the “substantial” community spread category. Substantial community spread means there are five-plus cases of community-acquired COVID-19 in a county or a distinct group of cases in a single area.

The number of South Dakotans who have tested positive for COVID-19 rose to 9,273 as of midday Thursday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the 9,273 statewide cases, 987 are classified as active (up by 36 from Wednesday). As of Thursday, 8,145 people have recovered (65 new), 861 people have been hospitalized at some point (five new), 44 people are currently hospitalized (up by one), and 141 people have died.

Officials say 108,301 people (1,095 new) have tested negative in South Dakota.

The new deaths, all women, are being reported in Minnehaha (1), Oglala Lakota (1) and Pennington (2) counties. The age ranges of the deceased are one 70-79 years old and three in the 80-plus years age category.

Increases in positive cases Thursday included, but are not limited to, five in Brookings County, three in Brown, three in Clay, three in Custer, four in Hughes, three in Lake, five in Lawrence, 14 in Lincoln, 44 in Minnehaha, five in Pennington and four in Union.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (4,329), Pennington (863), Lincoln (602), Beadle (587) and Brown (422).

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 DOH will also issue a public health notice when an employee or patron of a business/event is unable to identify persons they were in close contact with (15 or more minutes within 6 feet or less) while able to transmit the virus.

No public health notices regarding specific businesses or events have been issued in Brookings County so far.

The actual number of infections in the state is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

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.