Coronavirus: 28 positive tests reported, increasing to 240 cases

South Dakota reported 28 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases to 240. That number does not include tests pending in private labs or those who are not being tested for the disease.

Of the new cases, there were 23 new positive tests from Minnehaha county, totaling 104 patients. There were also new confirmed cases in Codington, Lincoln (2), Spink, and Turner counties.

The state's death total remained at two, but two deaths presumably tied to the coronavirus were reported later Friday night and were not included in the numbers. Avera Prince of Peace said a resident of their retirement home died, and the family of Rep. Bob Glanzer said he died late Friday night. That would bring the state's death total to four.

The Department of Health said on its website it does not report deaths until a certified death record has been filed. By law, a death record must be filed within five days of the date of death.

Reported hospitalizations increased to 22 and recovered patients increased to 84 cases.

Minnehaha, Lincoln, Beadle, Yankton and Lawrence Counties are presenting substantial community spread, according to the report. Another 13 counties have minimal/moderate community spread, and the remaining 14 communities do not have community spread.

Governor Kristi Noem said on Friday that up to 70 percent of South Dakotans could get the coronavirus, according to new projections.

Previously, Noem had said she expected 30% of the state to become infected by the respiratory illness, but that number has expanded to include up to 70% of the state, or 600,000 people. That's taking into account those who get the virus but will show no symptoms or very minor symptoms. 

The state's current projections for the effect of the coronavirus — which Noem cautioned are "dynamic" and "will change as the virus spreads," are that between 265,000 and 600,000 people will be infected with the virus.

That's a range of 30%-70% of the state's 882,235 citizens.

Those projections also show the peak of the virus' infections will be in mid-June, assuming we continue our current level of containment and social distancing.

At that time, the state believes they will need 5,000 hospital beds and 1,300 ventilators to properly assist coronavirus patients during that peak.

The state does not have those numbers of either beds or ventilators at the moment, Noem said, but plans are in place to get to that point in time. Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon said the state currently has 525 ventilators.

Noem would not give an estimate for the deaths projected to be caused in the state by the new coronavirus, saying that the number would depend on a number of factors. She also would not say how stricter measures like a shelter-in-place order might change projections on the number of deaths in the state. 

Malsam-Rysdon said their projections range from 0.5%-3% of total infections leading to death. At the low range of a 30% infection rate, that would mean between 1,325 and 7,950 deaths. At the upper range of 70%, between 3,000 and 18,000 deaths would be estimated.