COVID-19 numbers remain low despite small increases | Local

Active cases and hospitalizations for COVID-19-related illnesses both increased slightly on Monday, according to the daily report from the South Dakota Department of Health.

For the fifth consecutive report, active infections in the state have increased. There are now 174 active cases in the state. That’s an increase of four from Friday’s report. The number of people being treated in South Dakota hospitals for COVID-19-related illnesses has increased from six to 21. There are six people in intensive care units and three on ventilators. In the Black Hills region, there are five patients in hospitals including three in intensive care and two on ventilators.

Five of the 20 new cases on Monday were reported in Pennington County. Butte and Meade counties each had a new case. Meade County was listed as having moderate community spread, but that declined to minimal spread this week.

Minnehaha County recorded three positive tests on Monday and Brown, Codington and Roberts counties all had two cases. Davison, Day, Hamlin and Todd counties have each reported a new infection.

Six of the 20 new cases on Monday were in children under the age of 19 and another eight were patients in their 20s. Two people over the age of 70 tested positive for Monday’s report.