BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 28 new COVID-19 deaths and 1,283 new cases in South Dakota Wednesday.
Nineteen of the new cases are in Brookings County.
Brookings County cases have risen to 2,311 total cases (15 new confirmed and four new probable): 1,914 of those people have recovered (73 new), with 381 active cases (down by 54) and 16 deaths (no change). A total of 8,111 people (139 new) have tested negative in Brookings County as of Wednesday, and 76 people in the county (two new) have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.
There are nine COVID-19 occupied hospital beds at the Brookings Hospital, the DOH website reported Wednesday.
Brookings County remains in the “substantial” community spread category.
The state Department of Health data includes confirmed COVID-19 cases via traditional RT-PCR testing, plus probable cases based on rapid antigen testing, which detects the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Probable cases are investigated and handled in the same way as confirmed cases, DOH officials said.
The number of COVID-19 cases in South Dakota rose to 76,142 (1,283 new – 992 confirmed plus 291 probable) as of midday Wednesday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.
Of the statewide cases, 15,312 are classified as active (down by 1,345 from Tuesday). As of Wednesday, 59,981 people have recovered (2,600 new), 4,243 people have been hospitalized at some point (50 new), 570 people are currently hospitalized (down by four), and 849 people have died (28 new).
The SDDOH website reports 242,212 people (1,277 new) have tested negative in South Dakota.
Current hospitalizations may include out-of-state cases, and total hospitalizations only include South Dakota residents.
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.
The new deaths, 15 women and 13 men, are being reported in Brown, Codington (3), Davison (2), Grant (5), Gregory, Hamlin, Hutchinson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Miner, Minnehaha (7), Pennington (3) and Yankton counties. The age ranges of the deceased are two 50-59 years, one 60-69 years, three 70-79 years and 22 in the 80-plus years category.
Increases in positive cases Wednesday included, but are not limited to, 27 in Beadle, 44 in Brown, 26 in Clay, 48 in Codington, 64 in Dewey, 28 in Hughes, 38 in Lawrence, 83 in Lincoln, 33 in Meade, 307 in Minnehaha, 30 in Oglala Lakota, 62 in Pennington and 49 in Yankton.
The counties with the highest total case counts are Minnehaha (19,493), Pennington (8,122), Lincoln (5,182), Brown (3,424) and Codington (2,548).
According to the South Dakota State University COVID-19 dashboard, as of noon Wednesday, 15 students and seven faculty/staff were self-reporting current (active) positive tests. A total of 70 faculty, staff and students were quarantined and isolated as of Wednesday, with eight of those in campus facilities.
The Brookings School District COVID-19 dashboard reports that the district has 10 active cases, as of Wednesday: five from Brookings High School, two from Mickelson Middle School, one from Camelot Intermediate School, one from Hillcrest Elementary and one Medary 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 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.
