Coronavirus cases increase by 49 in South Dakota, no new deaths reported

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Dakota increased by 49 on Monday.

South Dakota has a total of 8,444 COVID-19 cases as of Monday, according to the state health department. That doesn't include people who show symptoms or are asymptomatic but are not tested. A total of 707 test results were reported on Monday for a positivity rate of 6.9%. The number of negative tests reported in the state decreased from Sunday to Monday due to correcting a "de-duplication process" that occurred over the weekend, according to state epidemiologist Josh Clayton.

The death toll remained at 123 on Monday.

The state has 917 active COVID-19 cases, according to the state health department. Recoveries statewide increased to 7,404. The state health department says 806 total people have been hospitalized during the pandemic, and 47 are currently hospitalized.

Test results from out-of-state commercial labs continue to be delayed about seven days, Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon said. The state health department first reported the delay last week due to the labs being overwhelmed by tests.

More:Coronavirus surge causing delays for test results in South Dakota

A total of 132,613 coronavirus tests have been performed on 106,827 people in South Dakota since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Clayton. 

Malsam-Rysdon warned that a scam is occurring where people are getting a call telling them they came into contact with a positive coronavirus case and asking for credit card information so a coronavirus testing kit can be sent to them. The state health department doesn't ask for credit card information or for any money when they notify residents that they've been exposed to a person who has tested positive for the coronavirus, she said.

Coronavirus patients are occupying 2% of staffed hospital beds in the state while 55% of hospital beds are available, according to the state health department. Coronavirus patients are occupying 4% of intensive care unit beds, and 40% of ICU beds are available. Five percent of ventilators are being used by coronavirus patients while 79% of the state's ventilator capacity is available.

At the Avantara St. Cloud nursing home in Rapid City, 39 of the 67 residents and staff who tested positive have recovered, according to Clayton.

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Fewer than 10 cases have been reported in connection to Camp Judson in Keystone and the cases were primarily among campers, but Clayton declined to give more details about the cases. Health officials are continuing to contact campers who may have been exposed and the number of cases connected to the camp could increase, Clayton said.

Mass testing for West River emergency medical service personnel will begin this week, followed by mass testing of East River EMS personnel. The health department also plans to mass test law enforcement and firefighters. It will be voluntary to participate, but upwards of 14,000 first responders could be tested in those events, Malsam-Rysdon said.

County case increases

Coronavirus cases in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties increased by more than 150 between Friday and Monday. The increase on Saturday prompted Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken to tweet that it was the largest one-day total since May 11. 

"While our residents have done a great job managing spread, today's counts are a reminder of just how quickly things could change," TenHaken tweeted Saturday.

Cases in Minnehaha County increased by 18 on Monday to a total of 4,036, and Lincoln County's cases increased by eight to a total of 489 cases, according to the state health department. Of the cases, 3,690 have recovered in Minnehaha County and 409 cases have recovered in Lincoln County.

Clayton said health officials said they haven't identified an event that could have caused a case increase in the Sioux Falls area. The counties both continue to have substantial community spread of the coronavirus and it's important that people take precautions to reduce the spread of the virus, he said.

Pennington County saw an increase of eight cases on Monday for 786 total cases. Union County's cases increased by three to 178 total cases, according to the state health department.