SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday warned that the state may see a spike in confirmed cases of COVID-19 after a mass testing event in Sioux Falls.
The Republican governor said about 2,600 people have been tested this week as part of an effort to get employees from a Smithfield pork processing facility ready to return to work. The plant shut down for more than two weeks after hundreds of employees were sickened by the virus, but some departments opened on Monday.
Noem continues to move the state toward reopening, indicating that some state employees may soon be returning to their offices, even as confirmed cases are likely to spike.
“We do expect to see a big increase in positive cases," Noem said. “Let’s remember though, to keep our focus on hospitalization rates.”
The governor has argued that the state's hospital capacity should be what determines her approach to the pandemic, and that she will be able to avoid issuing stay-at-home orders while making sure that hospitals are not overwhelmed. She said the National Guard is ready to help in the state's response with temporary hospitals, ambulances and helicopters to transport patients from remote areas.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
Health officials on Wednesday reported five more deaths from COVID-19, along with 58 new confirmed cases. All five deaths were in Minnehaha County, which has seen most of the infections in the state. A total of 2,779 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed statewide, but the actual number of infections is thought to be...
