Oglala Tribe issues stay-at-home order due to COVID increase

PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) — The Oglala Sioux Tribe is asking all tribal members on the Pine Ridge Reservation to shelter in place following a spike in COVID-19 cases. The initial stay-at-home order issued earlier this week by Oglala Vice President Alicia Mousseau was approved Wednesday by the tribal council on a 14-4 vote. The order will remain in place until the tribal council rescinds it. The order allows only essential business to operate and only at 25% capacity. It includes a mask mandate and limits gatherings to no more than 10 people, the Rapid City Journal reported. Tribal health officials say there has been 58 new cases of COVID-19 over a two-week period. There are 64 active cases on the reservation.