COVID-19 deaths continue to climb in South Dakota

 South Dakota continues to amass records as the COVID-19 pandemic surges across the state.

The Rapid City Journal reports that health officials report for the first time showed more than 500 people hospitalized, 15,000 active cases and deaths continued to climb above 500.

Thirteen more deaths were recorded Saturday. There have been 98 deaths in the first week of November after October set a record with 202 deaths in 31 days. There have been 523 deaths since the pandemic began.

There were 1,337 new cases reported Saturday on 2,493 tests for a positivity rate of 53.6%. There have now been 53,976 cases in the state with 15,050 of those still active.

There are 515 people being treated in hospitals across South Dakota – an increase of 22 since Friday. There are 101 people in intensive care units and 65 people on ventilators.