PIERRE, S.D. – It was another deadly COVID-19 report from the South Dakota Department of Health Thursday, although active cases and hospitalizations both decreased.
Health officials reported 31 COVID-19 –related deaths Thursday, raising the state’s death toll over 700 to 705. There have been 61 deaths the past two days and 280 this month alone. Across West River, there were 6 deaths out of Meade County, 2 deaths out of Gregory and one out of Ziebach. The deaths included 17 women and 14 men in the 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80-plus age range.
New coronavirus cases totaled 1,071 today and active cases dropped 1,356 to 17,884. Also down today were the number of people hospitalized which dropped 15 to 578 Thursday.
As for new cases West River, there were 273.
Around the Black Hills area, Pennington County added 84 new cases, Lawrence County had 32 and Meade County reported 12.
Pennington County’s total rose to 7,469 with 1,978 active cases. Lawrence County has 1,757 total with 473 still active and Meade County has 1,516 total with 349 active. Active cases in all three counties decreased today.
Other new cases across West River today include 35 in Todd, 24 in Oglala Lakota, 11 in Custer, 10 each in Perkins and Gregory, 8 each in Lyman and Bennett, 7 in Stanley, 6 each in Fall River and Tripp, 5 each in Butte, Mellette and Corson, 3 in Haakon and one each in Jones and Dewey.
There were 2,296 new persons tested reported on Wednesday. The new person test positivity-rate is 46 percent for Wednesday.
