State reports 403 hospitalized with COVID, most since December of 2020

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South Dakota reports another record number of people with COVID-19.

The state Department of Health says 34,086 people are currently infected.

403 people are currently hospitalized with the disease. That’s 164 more than a month ago. And it’s the state’s first time with more than 400 hospitalized COVID patients since December of 2020.

The state reports 9 more deaths from COVID-19. South Dakota’s pandemic toll is now at 2,582.

Cases are also spiking in educational facilities. There are more than 2,000 active infections in schools and about 500 at universities. Both are the highest numbers so far this academic year.

About 57 percent of eligible South Dakotans are fully vaccinated against the disease. Health officials say most people hospitalized with COVID-19 are not vaccinated.

Data update

• State’s death toll: 2,582 (+9 from the previous report)
  
  • Note: 'Death toll' indicates the number of deaths among people with COVID, but COVID may not have been the sole cause of death.
  • Deaths verifiably caused by COVID: 2,291 (updated weekly)
• Active cases: 34,086 (+1,324)
  
• Eligible South Dakotans fully vaccinated: 56.52%
  
• Currently hospitalized: 403 (+11)

Advice from the CDC is to get vaccinated, and mask-up indoors if you live in a place with high or substantial coronavirus transmission. That’s everywhere in South Dakota.