Coronavirus in South Dakota: Cases in Minnehaha County surpass 3,000

Lisa Kaczke
Sioux Falls Argus Leader

The number of coronavirus cases in Minnehaha County surpassed 3,000 on Wednesday. 

Cases in Minnehaha County increased by 39 to a total of 3,017, and Lincoln County's cases increased by three to a total of 190 cases, according to the South Dakota Department of Health.

More:Coronavirus in South Dakota: Confirmed COVID-19 cases, deaths and updates

No new deaths due to the coronavirus were reported on Wednesday. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Dakota increased by 69 to a total of 3,732 cases on Wednesday, according to the state health department. That doesn't include people who show symptoms or are asymptomatic but are not tested.

The positive rate for coronavirus tests on Wednesday was 9.8%.

The state has 1,326 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, according to the state health department. Recoveries statewide increased to 2,367. The state health department says 281 total people have been hospitalized during the pandemic, and 79 are currently hospitalized.

Beadle County has moved from no community spread to minimal-moderate community spread. Todd County moved from minimal-moderate to substantial community spread, according to state epidemiologist Josh Clayton.

Brown County has a total of 143 cases on Wednesday, an increase of 11 from Tuesday. Eighty-two total cases are connected to DemKota Ranch Beef in Aberdeen, according to Clayton. No specific hot spots have been identified in other businesses in the county, he said.

All 245 cases who contracted the coronavirus from close contact with a Smithfield employee have recovered, and 825 of the 853 Smithfield employee cases have recovered, according to Clayton.

Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon said they've been able to keep up with contact tracing for the new cases each day. The National Guard is helping to complete the contact tracing in addition to the health department increasing the number of state employees assigned to contact trace, she said. Health care facilities and labs report new cases daily via the health department's electronic reporting system that predates the pandemic.