Delta variant is dominant coronavirus strain in South Dakota as four new deaths reported

The South Dakota Department of Health reported four additional COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, along with 992 new infections.

The latest deaths were three males and one female. Two were aged 60-69, one 70-79 and one 80 or older. There have been 2,092 South Dakotans who have died with COVID-19.

Tuesday's report included cases from Monday and the weekend.

The 992 new infections put the statewide total for positive coronavirus tests at 138,292. The Delta variant of the virus has become the dominant strain, with 289 verified cases as opposed to 172 of the original virus.

Minnehaha County accounted for 201 new infections, and Lincoln County 51. Brown County saw 33 and Codington County 36. Pennington County had 278.

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Active infections increased to 7,263.

Hospital beds occupied with a COVID-19 positive patient also increased to 215. Of those, 61 were receiving intensive care and 44 were on ventilators.

Sixty percent of the state's eligible population is fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.