As of Monday, Sept. 28 the Good Samaritan Society – Lennox reported there were 21 residents and four employees who are currently COVID-19 positive.
Todd Anderson, Good Samaritan Society – Lennox administrator said, “Sadly, two residents have passed away following a COVID-19 diagnosis. We are grieving with the families of these residents.”
He continued, “Good Samaritan Society – Lennox continues to take extra precautions, and is using vigorous infection control measures while also working closely with the South Dakota Department of Health. The health, safety and well-being of our residents, staff and the community we serve remains our top priority.”
The facility is licensed to have 53 residents.
The South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) Communications Director Derrick Haskins said nursing facilities across the state are actively engaged in sentinel (random) testing among staff and residents. When a case is identified among staff or residents, testing of additional staff and residents is initiated to identify any additional cases. The Health Department also checks in daily with facilities that are reporting cases to provide technical assistance and guidance.
The nursing home in Lennox is not the only organization to report positive cases to the public. Lennox School District released on Friday, Sept. 25 that there was one positive COVID-19 case at the Junior High.
The active cases in Lincoln County surpassed 200 on Sunday, and as of Tuesday, Sept. 29 have remained above 200, currently at 207.
In Lincoln County the total number of cases is now at 1,385. The County continues to be defined as having substantial community spread according to the SD DOH.
Statewide as of Sept. 29 South Dakota has 3,684 active COVID-19 cases out of a total of 21,997 cases. This is an increase of 867 active cases from last week, and an additional 2,808 cases overall. There are 211 people currently hospitalized, which is an increase of 33 people in the hospital because of COVID-19 since last week.
Total recoveries in the state are at 18,090.
COVID-19 has attributed to the deaths of 223 South Dakota residents as of Sept. 29, 2020. This is an increase of 21 from last week Tuesday.
According to the Department of Health there is no way to ensure zero risk of COVID-19 infection for individuals in their day-to-day lives. Whether deciding to attend a community event or going to a holiday party, the Department of Health states that individuals must weigh the benefits of attending or participating to a person’s social, emotional, and physical needs with the health risks to yourself and others. An important factor to consider is whether COVID-19 is spreading in the community. Individuals should look at the most recent case data, trends, and hospital capacity data available at covid.sd.gov to guide decisions.
The SD DOH recommends the following for all activities:
• Stay home when you are sick or if you think you have been exposed.
• Wear a mask when feasible.
• Keep at least 6 feet between yourself and non-household members.
• Clean your hands frequently.
South Dakota’s K-12 schools and colleges and Technical Schools have seen an increase in COVID-19 case numbers this past week, as well. The information released Monday showed from Sept. 20-26 that 347 cases have been added at the K-12 level, bringing the total to 1,374 since Aug. 9. This number includes 968 students and 406 staff members.
Within South Dakota Colleges, Universities, and Technical Colleges there were an additional 95 cases added Sept. 20-26, bringing that total to 1,329 cases since Aug. 9. There are 1,263 students and 66 staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19. For more from the department of health visit https://covid.sd.gov.
As a county, the United States reports 7,165,067 positive COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 has attributed to the deaths of 205,547 U.S. residents of as of September 29, 2020, according to John Hopkins University and Medicine.
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