BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 58 new positive coronavirus cases and one new death in South Dakota Tuesday.
Two of the new cases are in Brookings County.
Brookings County cases have risen to 83 positive tests (two new Tuesday), and 58 of those people have recovered, with 25 active cases. There have been 1,849 negative tests in Brookings County as of Tuesday, and four people (one new) 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 7,163 as of midday Tuesday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.
Of the 7,163 statewide cases, 875 are classified as active (down by 70 from Monday). As of Tuesday, 6,190 people have recovered (127 new), 699 people have been hospitalized at some point (seven new), 64 people are currently hospitalized (five new), and 98 people have died.
There have been 78,202 total negative tests (1,004 new) in South Dakota.
The new death was a man from Minnehaha County in his 70s.
Increases in positive cases Tuesday included, but are not limited to, four in Beadle County, five in Lincoln, 18 in Minnehaha and 15 in Pennington.
The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (3,685), Pennington (590), Beadle (545), Lincoln (371) and Brown (350).
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.
