COVID cases surge, but hospitalizations, deaths hold steady

The South Dakota Department of Health reported 334 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, while hospitalizations and deaths remained stable.

The new cases brought the total of known COVID-19 infections to 14,337 statewide. Hospitalizations were at 76, down one from Wednesday, and deaths remained at 169.

Active cases set a new record at 3,013.

In Brown County, there were 22 new confirmations for a total of 718 cases, 144 of which were active, according to the health department. There have been three deaths and 28 people ever hospitalized.

The number of new cases in Codington County went up 15 Thursday to 372, of which 160 were active. There have been two deaths and 16 people ever hospitalized.

In Hamlin County, there were three new cases for a total of 63. Edmunds, Spink and Robert counties saw two new cases each for totals of 34, 56 and 45, respectively.

Case numbers in Day, Deuel, Faulk, Grant, Kingsbury and Walworth counties ticked up one Thursday. Total cases stand at 39, 50, 34, 45, 24 and 46, respectively.

Campbell County dipped one to four cases overall, according to the health department, which has previously noted that cases are sometimes reassigned to different counties.

Minnehaha County accounted for 68 cases Thursday, while Lincoln County saw 19 cases.

The latest numbers come as South Dakota became the fastest growing state in the country for new cases. The state averaged 243 cases per 100,000 people during the last seven days, according to tracking conducted by the New York Times.

Iowa is second, with 241 cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days, and North Dakota is third with 236 cases per 100,000.

The worst of the spread in South Dakota is in Clay County, home of Vermillion and the University of South Dakota, which has reported 205 cases in the past seven days. That’s 1,457 cases per 100,000 people, according to the New York Times, and puts Clay as the seventh-worst county in the nation. Wayne, Tenn., is first with 7,071 cases per 100,000 people.

Other South Dakota counties that are seeing a surge include Potter (650 per 100,000), Gregory (526), Meade (487), Codington (486), Brookings (470) and Fall River (432).

The only area where South Dakota is not setting records is hospitalizations. The previous peak was 106 on May 26.

The health department hasn’t specifically said what is causing the surge, but universities and their communities are seeing high numbers, and the Sturgis Rally in early August has led to at least 269 cases across the country.