PIERRE, S.D. – State health officials say they are seeing a transition from the Delta variant to Omicron as COVID-19 cases across the state continue to surge.
Today, health officials reported 2,254 new cases and the fast spreading Omicron variant is quickly becoming the new circulating form of the virus.
Active cases have now surpassed 12,000 at 12,578 and the number of people hospitalized has risen to 287. Monument Health reported today they have 25 COVID-19 related hospitalizations with 18 of those residents unvaccinated. There are 9 in the I.C.U. and 7 on ventilators.
Nine new deaths were reported Wednesday, with 3 of those originating out of Pennington County. The state’s death toll rises to 2,507.
Around the Black Hills area, Oglala Lakota County is seeing the biggest increase this week as 174 new cases were reported today.
Pennington County also had 174 new cases, with 30 of those listed as probable.
Lawrence County had 34 total new cases with 3 probable and Meade County had 25 confirmed with one probable new case.
Elsewhere, Custer County reported 17, Fall River County listed 9 and Butte County had 7 new cases.
