PIERRE, S.D. – It was a record day for deaths as state health officials reported 53 COVID-19-related fatalities in its Saturday report.
The 24-hour death total shatters all previous daily numbers as COVID-19 strengthens its grip on the state.
The 53 new deaths send the death toll soaring to 621. There have now been 196 deaths in November – setting it on pace to break October’s deadly month. With the exception of one death reported in an individual in their 30’s, all other deaths were in person 50 and older.
New cases totaled 1,855 Saturday and the active caseload rose to 18,747, up 120 from Friday.
The number of people hospitalized due to the virus dropped 7 today to 549.
Around West River, there were 454 new cases. Pennington County had 200 of those, sending the cumulative total to 6,847 and 2,072 remain active.
Lawrence County added 50 new cases Saturday for a total of 1,607 with 545 active.
In Meade County, there were 33 new cases reported, sending the total to 1,379 with 333 remaining active.
Butte County added 18 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, giving them a cumulative total of 594 with 195 still active.
Other new cases West River Saturday include 29 in Oglala Lakota, 23 in Todd, 14 in Dewey, 12 in Lyman, 11 in Tripp, 10 in Corson, 8 each in Custer, Perkins and Stanley, 7 in Fall River, 5 each in Gregory and Jackson, 3 in Haakon, 2 in Bennett and one each in Harding, Jones and Ziebach.
The latest 7-day all test positivity rate, reported by the DOH, is 21.6 percent.
