12 more COVID-19 deaths reported in South Dakota Monday

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Twelve more South Dakotans have died from COVID-19, health officials say, though the state’s case numbers are continuing to trend downward.

The Department of Health reported 283 new cases Monday, though active cases to 13,248, the lowest number since early January.

Current hospitalizations also continued to fall after peaking in late in January. There are currently 259 South Dakotans hospitalized with the coronavirus, down 294 on Friday.

The new deaths bring the state’s total to 2,742.

South Dakota’s COVID-19 test positivity rate is approaching the pandemic average after spiking over the past month. Just under 20% of tests in the state have come back positive over the past week. The state’s average rate since the pandemic began is 15%.