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Minnehaha Covid Cases Break 1,000
The number of COVID-19 cases in Minnehaha County continues to spike. New case numbers now report a county total of 1,065.
Statewide, COVID-19 cases increased in a single day by 143. Workers at the Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls account for more than half of those new cases. That brings the state's total positive COVID-19 cases to 1,311. The majority of new cases are still from Minnehaha County.
There are six new cases in Lincoln County. Counties with single case increases include Yankton, Lake, Pennington, Hamlin, Gerald and Moody.
Governor Kristi Noem asks that flags be flown at half-staff next Monday. That’s the day of State Representative Bob Glanzer’s funeral. The Huron Republican died earlier this month from complications with COVID-19. Glanzer was 74, and represented District 22 in the state House since 2017. He’s a former manager of the South Dakota State Fair.
Unemployment Claims Down Last Week
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, unemployment claims were down last week in South Dakota. But the trend isn’t expected to last.
About 6,000 people filed for unemployment claims last week in South Dakota. That's down from about 8,000 the previous week. It seems like good news, but Governor Kristi Noem says it won’t continue. That’s because new federal rules are just kicking in that extend benefits to the self-employed, independent contractors and gig workers.
“They’re not the typical individuals that would sign up and file for unemployment. The fact that this will be their first opportunity, we’re expecting a big surge.”
It’s been about four weeks since the pandemic started sending people to the unemployment rolls in South Dakota. So far, about 23,000 people have filed for unemployment. Nationally, unemployment claims were down slightly last week to about 5 million. Since the pandemic began, 22 million people in the U.S. have applied for unemployment.
Weekly unemployment payments are available to people who’ve lost work through no fault of their own. The money comes from state trust funds, supported by employer taxes. Recent congressional measures let people get larger payments for a longer time during the pandemic.
South Dakotans are encouraged to file online at raclaims.sd.gov
Lawmakers Responding to COVID Crisis
The South Dakota legislative session ended weeks ago, but lawmakers are scrambling to respond to pandemic-related budget issues. State revenue, primarily from sales taxes, is down significantly. Kris Langer is the Majority Leader in the South Dakota Senate. She says state leaders and the governor will try to provide necessary assistance to businesses and individuals.
“There we some questions about the Smithfield plant closing and what that did to farmers... concerns with what they are going to do with their hogs and how that would impact them and their ability to keep their small business going. People have been calling in and needing help with that as well just a lot of anxiety with the unknown. A lot of things that we are just in new territory and just trying to do the best that we can for the state.”
Langer says revenue from the state lottery tax revenue is already down. She says right now, federal money can only go for pandemic support but may be available for other uses in the future.
Noem Says South Dakota Well Positioned for Drug Trial
Governor Kristi Noem says South Dakota is well positioned to run a clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine. That’s a drug touted by the White House as a potential therapy for COVID-19. Noem says COVID 19 will be around for a while.
The Republican governor says South Dakota is willing to put the work and time in to research the drug.
“Then, be able to get a relationship with the federal government that when you call them up, and pick up the phone and say I need 1.2 million doses of hydroxy[chloroquine] and they literally get it here within two days… that wouldn’t happen in any other state. I think that’s what’s special about South Dakota.”
Department of Health officials say the trial is in a review process and that the department will need to put safety measures into place. They hope to enroll patients by the end of next week.
Hydroxychloroquine is typically used to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Data is extremely limited on the drug's use in patients with COVID-19.
Noem Defends Her Position on Stay-At-Home Orders
Governor Kristi Noem continues to defend her decision not to issue a statewide stay-at-home order. She says more South Dakotan’s are staying at home than in some states that require it.
South Dakota is one of eight states without a stay-at-home order.
Noem says any order she puts in place needs to be sustainable for a period of time. In the past, she’s suggested a stay-at-home order could have to last until October. Noem says a stay-at-home order is still possible, but since the COVID-19 outbreak is fluid, determining the length is problematic. She says people might not stay put if she needed to extend an order.
The Republican governor says she hasn’t ruled it out, but…
“I haven’t seen a data set that has told me that it is necessary,” Noem says. “I will tell folks that it’s not that I’m not teachable and that I’m not listening to other people. I am. I’m talking to other governors several times every day. I’m talking to experts that have looked at other countries and constantly doing research on what are the best mitigation measures and what is really working.”
State officials have new information about the projected peak of COVID-19 cases. They now estimate cases will peak in mid June and that the state will need 2,500 hospital beds.
Noem says that number of beds is half of earlier estimates. The governor says that’s because state residents are following her executive orders.
South Dakota Received 9 Abbott Machines
South Dakota has received nine machines from Abbott Laboratories that will speed coronavirus test processing. The state Department of Health is distributing the machines and related supplies.
The Abbott machines can process results of COVID-19 tests in minutes, while other tests can take hours. The state has materials to process more than 700 of the new tests.
Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon says the machines will increase testing capacity throughout the state.
“We also wanted to make sure that some of our communities that have been hardest hit by this have the testing capacity needed moving forward. That’s why we focused on Huron in particular as well as those two machines in Sioux Falls.”
Two machines are going to Sioux Falls and one to Huron. The other machines are going to Watertown, Redfield, Mobridge, Martin, Hot Springs and Spearfish.
The secretary says the state can redistribute the machines as needed.
State Hopes to Provide More County Level Negative Test Results Soon
The state Department of Health hopes to start reporting a breakdown of negative COVID-19 test results by county. Nearly 8,700 people have tested negative so far.
Rapid City officials say that information can reassure the public in areas with low numbers of active cases. The state reports Pennington County has 9 total positive COVID-19 cases. Six people have recovered and one person died.
That leaves two active cases for the county that’s home to Rapid City, South Dakota’s second largest city. Compare that to Minnehaha County which has 934 positive cases. Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender says the big difference in the number of positive cases between the two cities has made some residents wonder how much COVID-19 testing is taking place in west river.
“There’s a lack of information,” Allender says. “In a situation laced with some panic, that type of information would be helpful.”
Allender says the city can’t gather data on the total test results. That’s because test results get sent to private labs and the state lab. He says the low number of cases in Pennington County shakes out with what Monument Health is reporting to his office.
Kim Malsam-Rysdon is the state’s Secretary of Health. She says the department is working to get data out on the number of negative test results.
“I’m very hopeful we will be seeing that level of breakdown in a matter of days,” Malsam-Rysdon says. “We will continue to refine the amount of data that we are able to provide to be as helpful as possible.”
As the number of cases in the state continues to rise, state projections show peak number of cases will be lower than original estimates.
Local Newspapers at Risk
The nation’s newspapers are struggling and as more people look to online alternatives, many publications are laying off staff and some have closed. Earlier this month the De Smet News and the Lake Preston Times shut down. The papers had been publishing for more than a century.
Dale Blegen ) is the owner and publisher of both publications. He says the coronavirus and resulting economic downturn has slowed advertising revenue to a crawl.
“In both big and small ways there has been an outpouring of, “congratulations on your retirement however we’re going to miss the paper.” I feel really badly about that. Given the circumstances and given what I wanted to do with my life I just felt I had to make that decision.”
Many local businesses expect to see a harsh backlash from the pandemic. With a peak predicted in mid-June the damage to local economies could be substantial.
South Dakota Airports to Receive More than $36 Million
South Dakota airports will get more than $36 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to replace lost revenue from the pandemic. The Sioux Falls Regional Airport will receive more than $22 million. Rapid City’s regional airport will get more than $9 million.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, includes 10-billion dollars for airports around the country. U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao says the money will support capital costs, operating expenses and debt payments.