South Dakota continues to have large numbers of new COVID-19 cases. The Dept of Health on Friday reported 793 new cases along with 610 recoveries and 3 deaths.
There are now 7,312 active cases in the state, 180 more than on Thursday and a new record for the 4th straight day, with 299 people hospitalized with coronavirus. So far, there have been 31,805 cases, 307 deaths, and 24,186 recoveries.
Fewer than a third of the new cases are from West River, but there were 90 in Pennington County, 30 in Oglala Lakota, 21 in Meade, 19 in Lawrence County, 10 in Custer County, and 4 in Fall River County
The South Dakota Dept of Corrections says more than 100 inmates at the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield confirmed positive for COVID-19 after mass testing this week. The 127 new positive tests brings the total for the prison to 149.
. The 793 new cases Friday pushed the state’s 7-day average of positive results to 657, up from 246 a month ago.
. Statewide, 33% of hospital beds and 42% of ICU beds are still available, but the situation is worse in the Black Hills with 20% of beds still open