BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 106 new positive COVID-19 cases and two new deaths in South Dakota Saturday.
Five of the new cases are in Brookings County.
Brookings County cases have risen to 133 total positive cases (five new Saturday): 110 of those people have recovered, with 22 active cases and one death. A total of 2,648 people have tested negative in Brookings County as of Saturday, 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 9,477 as of midday Saturday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.
Of the 9,477 statewide cases, 1,024 are classified as active (up by 41 from Friday). As of Saturday, 8,307 people have recovered (63 new), 871 people have been hospitalized at some point (five new), 48 people are currently hospitalized (up by one), and 146 people have died.
Officials say 110,510 people (1,154 new) have tested negative in South Dakota.
The new deaths, both women, are being reported in Minnehaha and Pennington counties. The age ranges of the deceased are 70-79 years and and 80-plus years old.
Increases in positive cases Saturday included, but are not limited to, four in Beadle County, five in Brookings, eight in Brown, three in Custer, four in Hughes, six in Lawrence, 12 in Lincoln, four in Meade, 27 in Minnehaha, six in Pennington, six in Roberts, four in Union and three in Yankton.
The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (4,376), Pennington (881), Lincoln (621), Beadle (591) and Brown (428).
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.
