South Dakota COVID-19 Update: High spread rate for majority of state, two dead

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The South Dakota Department of Health has released the latest update for COVID-19.

In South Dakota, there are currently 53 people in the hospital with COVID-19. Since last week, there have been two deaths due to the virus, both patients were senior citizens.

The community spread rate of COVID-19 is still listed as “high” for the majority of the state, meaning there are at least 100 cases per 100,000 people or a weekly PCR test positivity rate of 10% or more. Currently, there are over 3,000 active COVID-19 cases in the state, according to the South Dakota Department of Health. To view a map of the spread rate per county, click here.

Recent studies

A study published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine shared findings that supported natural immunity providing greater protection from COVID infection than multiple vaccinations.

However, getting a COVID-19 vaccination is a safer and more dependable way to build immunity to COVID-19 than getting sick with COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

To read more, click here.