BROOKINGS – The state is reporting six new deaths and 65 new positive coronavirus cases in South Dakota Friday.

Four of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 90 positive tests (four new Friday), and 71 of those people have recovered, with 19 active cases. There have been 1,940 negative tests in Brookings County as of Friday, and four people in the county have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported. There have been no deaths here.

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 7,401 as of midday Friday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the 7,401 statewide cases, 886 are classified as active (down by 18 from Thursday). As of Friday, 6,408 people have recovered (77 new), 726 people have been hospitalized at some point (eight new), 65 people are currently hospitalized (up by four), and 107 people have died.

There have been 81,141 total negative tests (1,167 new) in South Dakota.

The new deaths, two women and four men, are being reported in Hughes (2), Minnehaha (1) and Pennington (3) counties. The age ranges of the deceased are two 30-39 years old, one 60-69 years old, and three in the 80-plus years category.

Increases in positive cases Friday included, but are not limited to, four in Brookings County, six in Dewey, three in Lake, three in Lincoln, four in Lyman, 15 in Minnehaha, eight in Pennington, four in Todd and eight in Union.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (3,738), Pennington (624), Beadle (551), Lincoln (384) and Brown (354).

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 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 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.