PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem says data is showing that South Dakotans are bending the curve with mitigation efforts currently in place in the fight against COVID-19.
Noem said during her Wednesday press briefing that the peak in Sioux Falls will more than likely be the middle of May, two weeks earlier than predicted. She says some 1,300 beds may be needed and she says the state believes hospital systems have the capacity to handle that.
Noem says while projects are looking better, the state is still planning for the higher end of cases.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Joshua Clayton says new projections show 600 ventilators will be needed at the peak with 2,500 hospital beds.
Noem says this peak ventilator and bed numbers is half what had been oridinally projected.
