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.
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