After having just two COVID-19 deaths reported on Tuesday, the South Dakota Deptt of Health reported 47 on Wednesday – pushing the state total to 995.
With 49 deaths over the first 2 days, December is already the 4th-most deadly of the pandemic for South Dakota.
There were also 1,047 new confirmed cases and 475 recoveries, jumping the number of active cases to 14,847 – an increase of nearly 800 one day after the biggest single-day drop in active cases.
There are 531 hospitalized cases occupying 51% of South Dakota’s ICU beds and 19% of all hospital beds, leaving just 16% of ICU beds and 35% of all hospital beds still available.
In a related story, a fourth South Dakota prison inmate has died of COVID-19 complications. The Dept of Corrections has not released the name or details, saying only that the man was at the State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
A total of 2,159 state prison inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus, but only 76 are currently active cases. Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield has 810 cumulative cases with just 5 active.