South Dakota health officials reported 425 new cases of COVID-19 and two new deaths Saturday as the number of active cases continues to set records by reaching 2,428 – an increase of 245 from Friday..
South Dakota has now had 12,942 cases with 10,347 recoveries, 167 deaths, and 79 people currently hospitalized Of Saturday’s 425 new cases, 174 were among people in their 20s with 69 children from 10-19 and 11 children under 10. Only 17 were people over 70.
The short-term outlook for numbers going down isn’t good. Monument Health – which operates most of the hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes in the Black Hills – told physicians and caregivers in a system-wide email last week to prepare for a surge in coronavirus cases in the coming weeks.
60 physicians and caregivers with Monument Health have tested positive for COVID-19 so far this month, including 44 in the past week, with another 167 caregivers being monitored following COVID-19 exposures either at work or in the community.
Chief Medical Officer Brad Archer said in the email that the entire staff should be “extra diligent” to protect their health since Monument Health is now already short-handed.