BROOKINGS – The state is reporting 222 new COVID-19 cases and one new death in South Dakota Thursday.

Twenty-three of the new cases are in Brookings County.

Brookings County cases have risen to 3,930 total cases (nine new confirmed and 14 new probable): 3,739 of those people have recovered (15 new), with 154 active cases (up by eight) and 37 deaths (no change). A total of 12,865 people (28 new) have tested negative in Brookings County, and 145 people (two new) in the county have been hospitalized at some point, the state reported.

There is one COVID-19 occupied hospital bed at the Brookings Hospital, the DOH website reported Thursday.

The county is in the “substantial” community spread category.

The number of COVID-19 cases in South Dakota rose to 119,197 (222 new – 172 confirmed plus 50 probable) as of midday Thursday, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

Of the statewide cases, 2,484 are classified as active (down by 27 from Wednesday). As of Thursday, 114,774 people have recovered (248 new), 7,099 South Dakotans have been hospitalized at some point (12 new), 100 people are currently hospitalized (up by six) for transmission-based precautions, and 1,939 people have died (one new).

The SDDOH website reports 331,338 people (692 new) have tested negative in South Dakota.

The new death was a man in his 70s from Hamlin County.

Increases in positive cases Thursday include, but are not limited to, 23 in Brookings County, 10 in Brown, 12 in Codington, 12 in Lincoln, 87 in Minnehaha and 13 in Pennington.

The SDDOH website reported midday Thursday that 472,352 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to 287,609 people in South Dakota, as reported to the S.D. Immunization Information System. 

In Brookings County, 15,932 vaccine doses have been administered to 10,841 people.

Doses administered by Indian Health Services, Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, Department of Defense and Bureau of Prisons are not included in the state’s vaccine count.

More than 48% of the state population has received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine from the state or federal allocation, according to the SDDOH website, and more than 33% of the state population is fully vaccinated.

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.