By Christina Zhao
Senior news editor
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South Dakota officials on Tuesday announced the state's first known positive cases of coronavirus and one death related to the new disease.
In a press conference, Republican Governor Kristi Noem confirmed that five individuals in the state had tested positive for coronavirus, one of which has died. The deceased, a male in his 60s from Pennington County, had preexisting health conditions before contracting the virus. His exact cause of death is currently unknown.
The South Dakota Public Health Laboratory in Pierre confirmed the coronavirus cases at roughly 2:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. "The state's Public Health Laboratory in Pierre has confirmed the first presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in South Dakota," Noem said. "The cases are travel related."
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The other four patients are across four different South Dakota counties: a Minnehaha County male in his 40, a Beadle County male in his 40s, a Charles Mix County male in his 50s and a Davidson County female in her 30s. These four individuals had reportedly all recently traveled outside of the state, but not necessarily outside the United States. Officials do not believe any of the cases are related.
The state's health providers are working with all four individuals, who are currently under self-quarantine at their homes, to ensure proper action is taken towards their recovery.
Newsweek reached out to the South Dakota Department of Health for additional information.
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Noem declined to declare a state of emergency and urged calm among South Dakota citizens during the press conference.
"While we wait for the CDC to conduct their confirmatory testing, the Department of Health staff is working to identify additional people who came in close contact with these individuals to decrease the spread of illness," she said. "Our team has been preparing for weeks, and I am confident we have the right people in place to address this fluid situation. Without panicking, I encourage all South Dakotans to take this seriously."
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to threaten the country, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday announced a state of emergency as the number of cases in his state climbed to 92. Massachusetts joins an increasing number of U.S. states—including New York, California and Colorado—to have made the emergency declaration.
More than 118,750 positive coronavirus cases have been reported globally, with 4,269 deaths worldwide. Nearly half—65,105—of individuals have recovered from the virus.
World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Hygiene advice
- Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before; during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
- Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
Medical advice
- If you feel unwell (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and call local health authorities in advance.
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.
Mask usage
- Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
- Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
- Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of mask.
- Do not reuse single-use masks.
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