SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Testing in South Dakota has uncovered three new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the state's total up to eight, state officials said Wednesday, March 11.
Three men, including two in Minnehaha County and one in Bon Homme County, tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus and are recovering at home, Gov. Kristi Noem said in a brief news conference.
Two of the infected people had traveled in the past week, while the third had not, said Kim Malsam-Rysdon, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Health. Malsam-Rysdon said she couldn't confirm which of the new cases had traveled and didn't say if the travel was to international destinations.
None of the men appeared to be connected to each other or the previously identified cases, she said.
"Additional testing will be done," Noem said. "We expect there to be more positives as we go into the future."
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The new cases are:
- Male, in his 40s, in Minnehaha County;
- Male, in his 50s, in Minnehaha County;
- Male, in his 60s, in Bon Homme County.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 11 test results were pending.
On Tuesday, s tate officials said five individuals in the state had tested positive for coronavirus , including a man in his 60s, with underlying health issues, who died in Pennington County on Tuesday morning. All those identified Tuesday had traveled in the previous week, although not all had traveled internationally.
Most of those who tested positive for coronavirus had developed symptoms about a week before seeking health care, said Dr. Josh Clayton, the state epidemiologist.
The newly identified cases mean there are three known cases of coronavirus in Minnehaha County, the state's most populous county and home to its largest city, Sioux Falls.
One of those tested from Minnehaha County, a man in Hartford, had children in the local West Central School District but hadn't visited district property in the previous week, according to school officials. But after consultation with state and federal public health officials, school officials closed the district on Wednesday to deep clean its buildings and vehicles.
The state has tested a total of 46 cases. Malsam-Rysdon said the state still had the ability to test about 800 people for COVID-19. South Dakota and other states, newly equipped with the ability to test for the coronavirus in their public health labs, are discovering cases of the coronavirus at a steady clip. Minnesota on Wednesday identified two more cases in the state, bringing the state's total to five.
Nationwide, confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday topped 1,100 in about 40 states , with more than 30 deaths. Globally, the case count topped 120,000 with more than 4,000 dead. The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and NCAA officials said it would bar the public from upcoming games.
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Noem on Wednesday directed South Dakotans who want more information to visit the state's newly erected coronavirus information website, at covid.sd.gov . It has gotten 30,000 visits in the last 24-36 hours, she said.
Noem advised state residents that 80 percent of those who catch coronavirus will experience only mild symptoms, but she had recommendations for some South Dakotans.
"I do want to caution those who are older and may have pre-existing health conditions or compromised immune systems, that they should take and make wise decisions," she said, "They should stay home, they should wash their hands. If they aren't feeling well they should call their healthcare provider, please do not go into the clinic or the hospital."
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