BROOKINGS – The state is reporting five new deaths and 77 new positive coronavirus cases Friday.
The number of South Dakotans who have tested positive for COVID-19 rose to 4,866 as of midday Friday, up 77 from Thursday’s data, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.
Brookings County cases have risen to 16 positive tests, and 14 of those people have recovered. There have been 647 negative tests in Brookings County as of Friday, the state reported.
Of the 4,866 statewide cases, 1,063 are classified as active (up by 22 from Thursday). So far, 3,744 people have recovered (46 new), 418 people have been hospitalized at some point (12 new), 95 people are currently hospitalized (down by 10), and 59 people have died.
The new deaths, three women and two men, are from Beadle (one) and Minnehaha (four) counties. The age ranges of the deceased are two 40-49 years old, one 70-79 years old, and two 80-plus years old.
There have been 35,816 total negative tests (1,583 new) in South Dakota. Of those, laboratories have reported 1,760 negative tests to the SDDOH that are not assigned to specific counties.
The county with the most positive tests in South Dakota is Minnehaha, with 3,330 as of midday Friday, up by 13 since Thursday. Increases in positive cases Friday also include, but are not limited to, 32 in Beadle County, three in Brown, three in Meade and 15 in Pennington.
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.
Learn more at www.covid.sd.gov.
