South Dakota coronavirus: The state is grappling with the nation’s highest postivity rate

CNN — Chris and John Bjorkman bought their home in De Smet, South Dakota, less than a year ago. “He was flown out to Marshall, Minnesota, because they said the Sioux Falls hospital was full at the time.” John Bjorkman is one of 644 people who have died in South Dakota – where the per capita Covid-19 rate leads above any other state in the country. “He was a good person.” Bjorkman told CNN she’s speaking out because she knows if John were alive, he would still try to help people by telling them how deadly this virus can be. “We have no one telling us what to do and I think some people need that … They need to be told to wear a mask.” “People need to wear masks and they just need to social distance,” Bjorkman said people should limit their interactions, social distance and wear a mask because “you don’t know who is gonna survive it.” South Dakota has highest positivity rate in the US More than 62,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and over 3,500 have been hospitalized, according to the state’s Covid-19 website. “It just makes you mad and sad and frustrated.” Doering wants people to recognize the cost and the severity of this virus in South Dakota and take steps to protect themselves so that they don’t end up in the hospital, where “it might be too late.” Update: After this story published, the governor’s office disputed the 60% positivity rate from the COVID Tracking Project.