Is August the start of another peak COVID-19 season? – KELOLAND.com

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The growth of COVID-19 was higher this August than last year in terms of infecting more South Dakota residents and putting them in the hospital.

South Dakota gained about 162 new active cases of COVID-19 a day during August.

The state department of health reported 657 active cases on Aug. 4 and 5,035 active cases on Aug 31. Specifically for the 24-day period between Aug. 4 and Aug. 31, the state gained about 168 cases per day.

Daily hospitalizations grew by 5 1/2 times as much from 39 daily active hospitalizations on Aug. 4 to 216 on Aug. 31.

Despite the availability of vaccinations and experiencing a surge in COVID-19 in the fall of 2020, South Dakota seems poised to do it all over again for the fall of 2021.

The numbers have increased faster this past August than in August of 2020. The 2021 peak could be sooner than the November peak of 2020.

The state had 13,509 total cases on Aug. 31, 2020. There were 167 deaths, 2,730 active cases, 76 active cases in the hospital. The total number of people in the hospital had reached 1,082 while recoveries were at 10,612. The deaths increased by 31 from 136 on Aug. 4 to 167 on Aug. 31.

The state had 216 active cases in the hospital on Aug. 31, 2021. Deaths increased by 19 in August 2021 from 2,050 on Aug. 4 to 2,069 on Aug. 31.

Total hospitalizations increased by 183 in August of 2020. Total hospitalizations increased by 311 in August of 2021.

The total cases increased by about 6,600 from Aug. 4, 2021, to Aug. 31.

The state had 2,730 active cases on Aug. 31, 2020. There were 2,800 more the next year for a total of 5,035 active cases on Aug. 31, 2021.

There were more than 13,000 active cases each day of November of 2020 with many days hovering around 16,000.

In 76 days, from Aug. 31 to Nov. 15, 2020, grew by 16,630 active daily cases to 19,360 on Nov. 15, 2020.

COVID-19 could spread quicker this year compared to last year, according to health experts. The Delta variant is more easily transmitted than the 2020 strain, many individuals older than 12 and under 40 are still unvaccinated, and schools are open without mask mandates or even strongly encouraging masking.

Sixty-percent of the states 12 and older population, who are eligible for vaccination, have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. About 56% are fully vaccinated.

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Is August the start of another peak COVID-19 season? - KELOLAND.com