Active COVID-19 cases in South Dakota continue to plummet

Nick Sabato, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·1 min read

Feb. 21—A day after South Dakota fell below 2,000 active COVID-19 cases for the first time since August, cases once again dropped Sunday.

The Department of Health reported 1,966 active cases, a single-day decrease of 31. There were 116 new cases reported, with 26.4% of 440 new tests returning positive. Four new deaths were reported, bringing the pandemic total to 1,863.

Hospitalizations fell Sunday after seeing a small increase Saturday. There are 90 people hospitalized, as 45.2% of hospital beds are available statewide and 3.3% are occupied by COVID-19 patients. Seventeen people are in the intensive care unit and nine are on ventilators.

Eighteen percent of South Dakotans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 9% have been completely vaccinated. As of Sunday, 122,625 people have been administered at least one dose, while 62,216 have received a complete series.