PIERRE, S.D. – Available I.C.U. beds continue to dwindle across the Black Hills region as hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continued their upward trend Tuesday.
Hospitalizations rose from 537 Monday to 607 today. With the increase in hospitalizations, I.C.U. beds across the Black Hills area have dwindled from 16.7-percent Sunday to 9.7-percent today. Statewide, the number of COVID-19 patients occupying I.C.U. beds has outpaced non-COVID-19 patients.
Active cases increased to a new high of 16,595 and three new deaths were reported. The three new deaths were reported out of Pennington, Turner and Union counties. The state’s death toll is now 540.
New cases across the state totaled 1,024 Tuesday with 277 West River.
Pennington County recorded 125 new cases to remain the hardest hit area West River. Pennington has a cumulative total of 5,981 with 1,695 remaining active.
Lawrence County had 21 new cases, sending their total to 1,392 with 483 active.
Meade County had 18 new cases and the cumulative total rose to 1,244. Of those, 294 remain active.
Other new cases West River today include 25 in Dewey, 19 in Todd, 13 in Oglala Lakota, 10 in Butte, 9 in Tripp, 6 each in Fall River and Corson, 5 each in Gregory and Jackson, 4 each in Stanley and Haakon, 2 each in Mellette and Bennett and one each in Custer, Ziebach and Perkins.
