According to the South Dakota Department of Health, there’s a second positive case of COVID-19 in Hughes County.
The initial Hughes County case was reported last week (March 23) in an inmate at the state Women’s Prison in Pierre. The woman has recovered.
State epidemiologist Dr. Josh Clayton says the newly reported case is not related to the initial case or to any of the nine inmates who walked away from the prison.
A state Department of Corrections spokesman says inmates Philomene Boneshirt 
and Sylvia Red Leaf
remain on escape status.
So far, there have been two deaths in the state caused by COVID-19, one in a Pennington County resident and one in a Beadle County resident.
Dr. Clayton outlines what criteria are used to determine whether or not a death is blamed on the virus.
129 people in South Dakota have tested positive and over 3900 have tested negative. Twelve people have been hospitalized and 51 have recovered.
Clayton says recovery is determined by timing.
The SD Department of Health is providing updated COVID-19 information, including number of cases in the state, at COVID.SD.GOV.
