PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials have reported 445 new coronavirus cases and 24 new deaths.
The deaths confirmed Thursday bring December’s death toll to 542, up from the previous high of 521 in November. The state’s overall death toll since the pandemic began is 1,488.
The state’s death count is the 38th highest in the country and the sixth highest per capita at 167.8 deaths per 100,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.
Hospitalizations increased by four to 297 on Thursday.
Active cases declined Thursday by 33 to 5,696 and recoveries increased by 453.
There were 693.4 new cases per 100,000 people in South Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks 30th in the country for new cases per capita. One in every 329 people in South Dakota tested positive in the past week.
There have been more than 21,000 South Dakota residents vaccinated as of Thursday.
