Sioux Falls, S.D. — South Dakota continued to struggle to contain the coronavirus as health officials on Friday reported an all-time new high for new coronavirus cases, with 772.
Another five people have also died from COVID-19, bringing the state's death toll to 277 people, according to the Department of Health. September was the deadliest month of the pandemic in South Dakota, with 56 deaths. But the state has already recorded 54 deaths in the first nine days of October.
South Dakota has seen the nation's second-highest number of new cases per capita in the last two weeks. According to Johns Hopkins researchers, there were 719 new cases per 100,000 people.
Hospitalizations from the virus statewide decreased for the first time in recent days, with 267 people in the hospital with COVID-19. The Department of Health reported that 38% of hospital beds and 27% of Intensive Care Units in the state are currently open.
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Over the course of the pandemic, 27,215 people across South Dakota have been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus. About 81% of them have recovered to a point where they are no longer contagious, but 5,188 people have active infections.
President Donald Trump had tweeted Wednesday in support of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s hands-off approach to managing the coronavirus pandemic despite a surge in cases in the state.