PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — A record number of COVID-19 deaths were reported on Saturday as South Dakota surpassed more than 900 deaths due to the virus, according to the update from the state department of health.
Fifty-four new COVID-19 deaths were reported, bringing the total to 942. There have been 527 deaths reported since Nov. 1. The new deaths were 23 women and 31 men listed in the following age ranges: 80+ (25); 70-79 (13); 60-69 (11); and 50-59 (5). The new deaths were listed in the following counties: Aurora (2), Beadle (1), Brown (1), Buffalo (2), Charles Mix (1), Codington (4), Davison (4), Day (2), Faulk (2), Grant (1), Gregory (1), Hamlin (1), Hanson (1), Hutchinson (1), Jackson (2), Lincoln (2), Minnehaha (11), Oglala Lakota (2), Pennington (4), Roberts (2), Tripp (2), Turner (2), Union (2) and Walworth (1).
On Saturday, 819 new total coronavirus cases were reported bringing the state’s total case count to 79,099, up from Friday (78,280). Total recovered cases are now at 61,051, up from Friday (61,010).
Active cases increased to 17,106 from Friday (16,382).
Current hospitalizations are at 539, down from Friday (569). Total hospitalized are now at 4,400, up from Friday (4,353).
Total persons tested negative is now at 246,277, up from Friday (245,204).
There were 1,892 new persons tested reported on Saturday. The new person test positivity rate for Saturday is 43-percent.
The latest 7-day all test positivity rate, reported by the DOH, is 13.8%. The DOH calculates that based on the results of the PCR test results but doesn’t release total numbers for how many PCR tests are done daily. The DOH 1-day PCR test positivity rate is reported at 12.8%.
Only four of South Dakota’s 66 counties are not listed as having “substantial” community spread.