Codington and Brown counties back in 'high spread' COVID-19 status

COVID-19 is again spreading throughout much of South Dakota.

Codington and Brown counties are seeing an increase in positive cases, according to the most recent data available from the South Dakota Department of Health. Most other South Dakota counties are as well.

With one outlier, all of northeastern South Dakota, from Campbell County along the Missouri River to Spink to Hamlin are seeing high spread, according to the health department. In Potter County, there is considerable spread.

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In Codington County, 55 new cases were confirmed this week, pushing the number of active cases to 130. There have been 8,785 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic with 8,554 recoveries and 101 deaths.

Brown County had 36 new cases confirmed this week for a total of 103 active cases. There have been 10,561 cases since the start of the pandemic with 10,337 recoveries and 121 deaths.

Only seven counties are currently considered to have low spread of the virus. With the exception of Sully County, they are all in the southern half of the state.

3,299 active COVID-19 cases across South Dakota

The health department reported 3,299 active cases across the state this week. That's up from 3,101 last week.

Of those active cases this week, however, 1,182 were new and probable cases, according to the department. That's down from 1,254 new and probable cases the week prior.

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The numbers only reflect testing at hospitals and heath care centers around the state. Many people test at home or not at all.

Statewide, there have been 245,705 confirmed cases with 11,076 people ever hospitalized and 2,940 deaths during the pandemic, according to state data.

Hospitalizations also saw an increase this week, up 13 from last week's 53 across the state, according to the health department. Fifteen of the 66 people hospitalized with the virus are at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Prairie Lakes Healthcare in Watertown has one COVID-19 hospital bed occupied. In Aberdeen, Avera St. Luke’s Hospital currently has one COVID-19 patient, while Sanford Aberdeen has none.

More than 74% of South Dakotans 5 and older have had a least one dose of the COVID-10 vaccine, according to the department of health.