How Does South Dakota’s Spread of COVID-19 Compare to the Rest of the U.S.?

When it comes to the spread of COVID-19, South Dakota has been all over the place.

For a time, the state was one of the hotspots of coronavirus, but the latest numbers now tell a different story.

According to BestLife, the Mount Rushmore State is now in the bottom 25 percent among the 50 states when it comes to COVID-19 spread.

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With 17.7 daily new cases of coronavirus per 100,000 people (as of February 16), South Dakota is 38th overall.

The state's most recent numbers show 98,499 infections since the beginning of the pandemic, with 2,072 active cases.

6,466 South Dakota residents have been hospitalized in the past year, including 94 that currently in-patient.

The virus has claimed 1,844 lives in the state and 106,769 people have recovered.

STATES WITH LOWEST COVID-19 SPREAD (daily new cases per 100,000 people)

1. Hawaii - 3.8
2. Washington - 8.8
3. North Dakota - 10.2
4. Oregon - 10.3
5. Michigan - 11.1
6. Wyoming - 12.5
7. Missouri - 12.8
8. Maine - 13.4
9. Minnesota - 13.9
10. Wisconsin - 15.3

STATES WITH HIGHEST COVID-19 SPREAD (daily new cases per 100,000 people)

1. South Carolina - 57.2
2. New York - 42.0
3. New Jersey - 36.5
4. Rhode Island - 36.2
5. Kentucky -35.9
6. North Carolina - 35.3
7. Virginia - 34.7
8. Delaware - 33.9
9. Oklahoma - 33.5
10. Texas - 32.5

According to the South Dakota Department of Health, vaccinations in the state are currently in the first phase of Group 1D, with those 70 and older, those residing in independent living or group homes, and those with high-risk factors getting their shots.

That minimum age will be dropping to 65 years old, beginning Monday, February 22.

The next phase of Group 1D will be expanded to individuals with two or more underlying health conditions, educators, and those working in the funeral service industry.

At last count, 164,399 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in South Dakota. That translates to about 16 percent of the state's residents having received at least one shot.