1 new COVID-19 death, 103 new cases confirmed in South Dakota Wednesday

Health officials confirmed 103 new COVID-19 cases in South Dakota Wednesday, as the death total due to the disease rose to nine.

The state's total confirmed cases is now 1,858. It is also the second day in a row the state confirmed a new death.

However, the total number of active cases decreased Wednesday due to the number of new recoveries. Officials say 113 more people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 937. A total of 912 cases are active, down from 923 Tuesday.

The new death was a man in his 80s in Minnehaha County, according to the South Dakota Department of Health. The county also recorded 104 new cases, bringing its total to 1,555. Lincoln County's total rose by five to 104.

Twenty-two of the new cases involved employees at Smithfield Foods, which is temporarily closed due to a major outbreak there. A total of 783 of the state's cases involve Smithfield employees. An additional 63 cases involved people closely connected to Smithfield, bringing that total to 206.

Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon said Wednesday officials confirmed two positive cases among guests at The Arch halfway house in Sioux Falls. That facility recently locked down due to these cases.

While the Sioux Falls area remains the state's hot spot, Brown County also saw a spike in new cases Wednesday. The county confirmed seven new cases, bringing its total to 27. Health officials declined to comment on whether these cases are related to any particular business.

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