BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 259 new COVID-19 cases and five new deaths in South Dakota Tuesday.

Three of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 771 total positive cases (three new Tuesday): 666 of those people have recovered (16 new), with 103 active cases (down by 13) and two deaths. A total of 4,764 people (18 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Tuesday, and 13 people in the county have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

Brookings County remains in the “substantial” community spread category.

The number of South Dakotans who have tested positive for COVID-19 rose to 21,997 (259 new) as of midday Tuesday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 3,684 are classified as active (down by 144 from Monday). As of Tuesday, 18,090 people have recovered (398 new), 1,511 people have been hospitalized at some point (23 new), 211 people are currently hospitalized (up by two), and 223 people have died (five new).

Current hospitalizations may include out-of-state cases, and total hospitalizations only include South Dakota residents.

The SDDOH website reports 167,149 people have tested negative (543 new) in South Dakota.

The new deaths, one woman and four men, are being reported in Codington (2), Clay, Fall River and Lawrence counties. The age ranges of the deceased are two 70-79 years, and three in the 80-plus years category.

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.

Increases in positive cases Tuesday included, but are not limited to, 18 in Brown County, 15 in Davison, 22 in Lincoln, 41 in Minnehaha and 37 in Pennington.

The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (6,732), Pennington (2,365), Lincoln (1,385), Brown (1,223) and Codington (882).

According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Tuesday, 13 students and one faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 84 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Tuesday, with nine of those in campus facilities.

The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has seven active cases, as of Tuesday: four from Brookings High School, two from Camelot Intermediate School and one from Dakota Prairie 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 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.

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.