Governor Noem ordering schools to be closed next week; state tournaments postponed

Governor Kristi Noem announced in a news conference just before noon today that she is ordering that all schools in the state close next week and that all of the state basketball tournaments and activities be postponed, including the State B girls tournament that is going on currently in Spearfish and the tournaments scheduled for next weekend. 

The Governor said she has signed a State of Emergency order.

Meanwhile, the number of presumptive positive Coronavirus cases now sits at nine in the state.  The latest information from the state shows nine presumptive positive cases, 73 negative tests, and eleven still pending.  The latest case is in McCook County in a male in his 30’s who had recently traveled outside the state. Other counties with positive COVID-19 cases are Minnehaha with three, and Beadle, Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Davison, and Pennington counties each with one.  All of the cases are in the age range of 30 to 69 years old. Eight are male and one is female.  

The state Department of Health has a website with COVID-19 information, including the number of cases found in the state, at www.covid.sd.gov.