Noem: “We have cut our peak, but need to stay the course” against COVID-19 (Audio)

April 15, 2020
Mike Tanner

PIERRE, S.D.—South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem delivered some very encouraging news Wednesday as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Noem says South Dakota’s hot spot—the Sioux Falls area—will see its peak amount of cases in mid-May. She says at that time, it’s estimated there will be a need for 1,200 to 1,300 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients…

The governor says updated modeling shows the peak has been cut, but it’s her plan to, “stay the course”……

The governor says the credit goes to South Dakotans who have been following her guidance….

Also Wednesday, the governor announced the state has acquired nine rapid testing machines for COVID. Health Department Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon explained where they’ll be deployed…

New numbers Wednesday from the Health Department show 1,168 coronavirus infections in the state. Eighty-five percent of them are in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties.