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Daily COVID-19 Headlines: March 12

Forty One Tests Pending in South Dakota

State officials say there are no new presumptive positive cases of COVID 19. There are 41 pending test kits that they say will get announced by noon Friday. Governor Kristi Noem says they’re testing and monitoring seven individuals who came in close contact with the eight presumptive positive cases. She says none of those cases participated in large community events.

Noem says the state website devoted to COVID-19 information will update case information at noon every day.

“We anticipate that new positive cases, how many tests that have been run, how many negative cases that there are will all be listed on that website with all other information that people need to have to get their questions answered each and every day. The website is: covid.sd.gov. The 800 number is 800-997-2880.”

Noem is reminding those who might be experiencing symptoms to reach out to their providers and come up with a plan. She says those without providers can reach out to federally qualified providers in their communities.

“And go through the protocols and get tests free of charge,” Noem says. “I would encourage individuals to do that. If they aren’t sure where those places are in their communities, they are listed on the website.”

The state is receiving 4.5 million dollars from the Centers for Disease Control, which Department of Health officials say will go toward virus response efforts.

South Dakota Hospitals Change Visitor Policies

South Dakota’s three largest healthcare systems are announcing new visitor policies and other precautions against the spread of coronavirus. All new procedures take effect within the next week. Monument Health, Sanford and Avera released statements on their responses to COVID-19 on Thursday.

Monument Health has been limiting patient visitors since last week. Now, patients whose visitors must wear protective gear like gowns and facemasks must name one designated visitor who can see them. As of Thursday, visitors are not allowed at Monument’s Custer Care Center…Assisted Living in Custer…or its Sturgis Care Center.

Good Samaritan Society—which is now a part of Sanford Health—has instituted no-visitation policies for all its senior living locations. Only employees and essential personnel are allowed, though Sanford is working with families with end-of-life needs on a case by case basis.

Starting Friday, Sanford is restricting visitation in all other locations to immediate family members, and one visitor at a time. Staff will screen each visitor as they enter for respiratory illness symptoms and ask about recent travel.

Avera is allowing only one visitor at a time for its patients starting next week. Those visitors cannot have flu-like symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Avera is also not recommending visitors to long-term care centers, but tells families to consult with local facilities for patients in hospice and end-of-life care.

Healthcare professionals are urging those who believe they have coronavirus symptoms to call their healthcare providers first to determine if they should receive testing.

SD Public Universities Extend Spring Break to Cope with COVID-19

All six public universities in South Dakota are extending their spring break by one week and canceling non-essential travel to reduce potential transmission of COVID-19. Campuses are now closed through March 20th.

In a statement, Board of Regents Executive Director Paul Beran says there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on any campuses at this time, but the organization is taking reasonable precautions. The statement goes on to say the extended break can be used to allow faculty to adjust programs, adapt instruction methods…and prepare other possible responses to the pandemic going forward.

Essential services like food and residence hall accommodations are available for students who must remain on campus.

SDHSSA Limits Crowd at State B Girls Basketball in Spearfish

The South Dakota High School Activities Association will limit fan attendance for the remainder of the ‘B’ girls' state basketball tournament in Spearfish.

This decision comes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping across the United States.

Each team will receive 125 tickets per game, which includes access for players and coaches. Tickets are only good for the game the ticket is listed.

Lawmaker Illness

A South Dakota lawmaker is being tested for an illness and is away from the capitol on the last day of session. Republican Speaker of the House Steven Haugaard announced on the house floor that Glenham Republican Spencer Gosch will no longer be in the capitol.

“Speaker Pro Tempore Gosch was having some problems yesterday,” Haugaard says. “He got more ill overnight and went in to be tested. So he cannot have contact with anyone for a couple of days while they’re doing this testing. So, it’s a serious event.”

The statement came during the doctor of the day announcement. Coronavirus is not confirmed in Hughes County, where the state capitol is located. The state says there are eight confirmed cases of the virus, with 11 tests still pending.

The announcement comes as lawmakers are working out the final details of the budget. Once they pass a budget legislators will adjourn and return to their respective districts.

Rapid City Coronavirus Response

One out of eight* confirmed cases of COVID-19 was an adult male in Pennington County. The man who tested positive for the disease died, but it’s unknown whether the coronavirus was the cause of his death. Rapid City officials met Wednesday to discuss how they plan to prepare for the coronavirus outbreak.

Many city and regional services are implementing different methods to curb the spread of the virus. Much of those efforts include deep cleaning and sanitization efforts. But for right now, officials are urging calm amid a growing number of COVID-19 cases. Rapid City Regional Airport executive director Patrick Dame says immediate airport traffic hasn’t changed because of the virus.

“Right now, we haven’t seen a necessary, notable impact that is there. We haven’t seen a cancelation of flights. Obviously, there has been international pullbacks with flights that are going on. That could work either way on the domestic side, whether they increase domestic flying as a result of the changes that are there or depending on how much the local U.S. position is on that.”

Dame says the airport sees many visitors, so those who are not feeling well should stay home.

Shankar Kurra is the vice president of medical affairs at Monument Health. He says health officials have been meeting daily since the outbreak.

“We have a plan to isolate the case in the hospital…so, initially if there was just a single case, then we would deal with that. If we exceeded a number, then we would actually have an entire unit designated.”

Rapid City officials will continue to meet and assess emergency plans for the outbreak.