PIERRE, S.D. – The Department of Health reported two new COVID-19 related deaths in its Wednesday report, bringing the overall death count in South Dakota to 13. The two deaths were in Minnehaha County and in people over 80-years old.
The South Dakota Department of Health reported 60 new cases of the coronavirus as well. The additional 60 cases gave the state a cumulative total of 2,373 with active cases down to 868.
There were no new cases reported in the Black Hills area. New cases were reported in Minnehaha, who had the most with 47, Brown, Charles Mix, Day, Lincoln, Lyman, Moody and Union Counties.
New today, the department says they have moved two counties out of the substantial spread category.
“We have two counties that are in the process of stepping down from substantial to minimal to moderate activity. This is a new process. The counties are Beadle and Lawrence County.”
Dr. Clayton says they will be also update when counties move from minimal to moderate spread to no spread.
“We will also update the COVID.SD.GOV website to note when those counties move from minimal to moderate spread to no current spread of COVID-19, and that will occur after there are no new cases in a county for 28 days.”
As for recoveries, South Dakota now has 1,492 recoveries, up 100 from Monday. This is the third day in a row new recoveries were more than new cases.
Current hospitalizations still remain at 69, the same as Tuesday. Total hospitalizations are now at 165, up from Tuesday’s 157.
There have been 14,460 total negative tests. In Pennington County, there have been 772 negative tests, in Meade County, 136 and in Lawrence County, 154.
