Coronavirus cases surpass 4,000 in South Dakota, no new deaths reported

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Dakota increased by 40 on Monday, and no new deaths were reported.

South Dakota has a total of 4,027 COVID-19 cases on Monday, 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 Monday was 8.2%.

The number of deaths due to the coronavirus remained at 44 on Monday, according to the state health department.

The state has 1,199 active COVID-19 cases, according to the state health department. Recoveries statewide increased to 2,784. The state health department says 316 total people have been hospitalized during the pandemic, and 77 are currently hospitalized.

Cases in Minnehaha County increased by 15 to a total of 3,150, and Lincoln County's cases increased by one to a total of 201 cases, according to the state health department. Of the cases, 2,236 have recovered in Minnehaha County and 155 cases have recovered in Lincoln County.

Brown County now has 200 cases, and 118 cases are connected to DemKota Ranch Beef in Aberdeen, of which 74 have recovered, according to health officials. 

Hamlin County now has three coronavirus cases and has been elevated to having minimal to moderate community spread, according to state epidemiologist Josh Clayton. 

Mass testing of all staff and residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in South Dakota began on Monday, Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon said.

More:State to test all long-term care facility and assisted living residents over next month

South Dakota's Care19 cell phone app has been downloaded more than 18,000 times, but there hasn't been a positive case among users who have enabled the location service yet, Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon said. The app gives users random identification numbers and the state health department doesn't know the name or contact information for the users, she said. If a Care19 app user tests positive for the coronavirus, the person has to give the department permission to get their locations from the app.

The state health department expects to see more exposures involving employees at businesses as businesses reopen, Clayton said. The department issues public notices about potential coronavirus exposure for the public if an employee or patron was at a business, but can't identify all the people with whom they were in close contact for at least five minutes, Clayton said. A public notice isn't issued if a person can identify everyone they had close contact with at the business.