SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Alongside a downward trend in new coronavirus cases has been a low number of COVID-19 tests in South Dakota.
According to testing data from The Washington Post, South Dakota ranks 47 out of 50 states in the number of new tests reported in the last seven days per 100,000 residents. The Washington Post organizes testing data from The COVID Tracking Project, which pulls data from the South Dakota Department of Health.
South Dakota has completed 1,313 total tests per 100,000 people for the past seven days. Only Idaho (784 new tests per 100,000 people) and Iowa (770 new tests per 100,000 people) were lower.
Rhode Island, which has a similar population to South Dakota, reported the most new tests per 100,000 people in the last seven days at 10,159 new tests.
The South Dakota Department of Health states its testing goal is 44,233 tests per month, which is equal to 5% of South Dakota’s population. The DOH reports it has exceeded the testing goal by 157% as of Monday.
The number of tests is based on the number of PCR test specimens reported and is calculated as reported negative tests plus reported positive tests. The South Dakota Department of Health does not doesn’t release total numbers for how many PCR tests are done daily.
KELOLAND News tracks how many new persons have tested each day. In December, 22,344 new persons have been tested. The number of new persons seeking tests is about half of the 5% goal from the DOH.
The DOH reports only 10 of South Dakota’s 66 counties not having “substantial” community spread.
Keep reading
Your Guide To
Coronavirus
KELOLAND News is covering the COVID-19 pandemic. This is your guide to everything you need to know to prepare. We also have the latest stories from across the globe feeding into this page.

LATEST STORIES
- Yankton boys claim Class A State Tennis titleThe South Dakota Class ‘A’ Boys State Tennis Tournament concluded Tuesday out in Rapid City, with Mitchell leading after day 1 of the competition, but it was Yankton who came away with the team state title after taking 3 individual flight state championships, while finishing runner-up in 5 other flights.
- Brewery wins North Carolina lawsuit over naked cartoon labelNorth Carolina regulators said they believed the label was in “bad taste.”
- How to prevent a mass shooting? Police options are limitedIn most cases, police have to wait before specific actions are taken, like acquiring a gun with intent to do harm or outlining a concrete plan, before they can charge someone with a crime, experts say.