PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota has reported its deadliest 24-hour period since the COVID-19 pandemic began Thursday as 13 new deaths were reported.
Along with that, the state also reported a new record daily high of 747 new positive tests.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Joshua Clayton says there’s a reason for the high number – a couple days’ worth of data were “injected” into Thursday’s report.
Dr. Clayton says 502 new positive cases are from the past 24 hours, with the other 245 cases being old results added to Thursday’s numbers.
Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon says the DOH discovered that some out-of-state tests were being held in a file rather than being added to the daily reported results.
The 13 new deaths reported today included 2 out of Bennett County and one each in Beadle, Brule, Clay, Codington, Custer, Haakon, Hanson, Minnehaha, Tripp, Turner and Walworth counties.
There were 28 new hospitalizations today and coupled with recoveries, the total number of people in the hospital due to COVID-19 went up 2 today to 214.
As for new cases around the Black Hills area, Pennington County reported 74 new positive tests for COVID-19. Pennington County’s total reached 2,479 and 418 cases remain active.
Meade had 24 new cases, sending the cumulative total to 584 with 111 remaining active.
Lawrence County added 14 new cases Thursday, giving the county a total of 442 with 98 active.
Butte County had 11 new cases for a total of 121 and 39 remaining active.
Other new cases included 17 in Oglala Lakota, 6 in Custer and 3 in Fall River counties.
The statewide active number of cases rose 174 today to 3,832 and with the 13 new deaths, the state’s death toll reached 236.
