Governor Noem extends and adds executive orders; closes schools for remainder of school year

Governor Kristi Noem is extending and including stronger language in her executive order that she had originally issued in March regarding restrictions in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

In a news conference Monday, Noem announced that she will extend the executive order through the end of May.

Noem said that residents and businesses have been doing what they need to be doing, but that we are at a critical juncture in the state’s work to help flatten the curve.

Along with changes to her original executive order, Governor Noem on Monday also issued a separate executive order impacting people in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties who are 65 and older, and those with chronic medical conditions.  

Currently Minnehaha and Lincoln counties have had a total of 164 positive COVID-19 cases out of the state’s 288 overall total.  

Also during her news conference on Monday, the governor announced that classes in the state’s school districts would be cancelled through the end of the academic year.

In numbers released by the state Department of Health on Monday, along with the 288 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in the state, there have been 91 people who have recovered from the virus so far and four people who have died.  

All of the state’s numbers and information can be found online at covid.sd.gov.