after the end 525,000 vehicles Earlier this month, at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, COVID cases in South Dakota were reported to have increased by 1,500% in the next two weeks, leading some critics to condemn the holding of the annual rally.
According to reports, there were 7 COVID-related deaths and 3,819 new cases in South Dakota, up from 644 cases 14 days before the Sturgis rally on August 6-15. NBC News.
This marks the largest percentage Coronavirus disease According to NBC News, data from Johns Hopkins University showed that the number of cases in one state in the United States has increased in the past two weeks. Mead County, where Sturgis is located, has added 330 new cases of the virus, which is higher than before the motorcycle rally. Of 20 cases.
1,500% growth According to Mead County Sheriff Ron Merwin, Sturgis attracted 500,000 participants in COVID cases in South Dakota, the largest year in history.
Mervyn told reporters Fast City Magazine At the rally, “There are more people here than I have been doing this for 31 years.”
The spokesperson for the South Dakota Department of Health, Daniel Buchelli, told NBC News that the agency only linked 16 cases of the virus to a motorcycle rally. He said in an email to the news media that the surge in COVID cases “is following a national trend that every state is experiencing.”
He added: “It’s worth mentioning that Mead County’s current Vaccination rate Other counties than SD. “
Although it is too early to determine whether this rally is a super-spreading event, Sturgis critics have already voiced their voices on social media.
If you are not at all surprised that the Sturgis Motorcycle Pull Race is a major super spreader, with a 1,500% increase in cases, please roll your eyes.
Because of course it is. _
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@Mmpadellan) August 25, 2021
A Twitter user said that COVID cases in South Dakota are now increasing due to “cycling.”
An interesting fact: due to STURGIS COVID bicycle rally. South Dakota up 206%
Everything for a fuck’ ride.— Paul Cogan (@PaulCogan) August 22, 2021
Another critic of the rally asked: “How did Sturgis perform?”
How did Sturgis perform? #COVIDIOT pic.twitter.com/dhzIyMayfR
— Mike Schermer (@Schoemer) August 23, 2021
A Twitter user pointed out that they would not approach anyone who has been to Sturgis due to fear of contracting the new crown virus.
I saw a man wearing a Sturgis T-shirt in Columbia City today & I crossed the road! __ #Antsocial distance
— Nancy✍️ (@coopy1211) August 24, 2021
Another said they would do the same.
When I followed a couple and walked into a store, I noticed that this man was wearing a 2021 sturgis T-shirt… of course no mask.
We decided to go to another store— Đ₳Ɽ₭_ __ яєF̸Ⱡy͡ (@Dark_FyreFly) August 24, 2021
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem was criticized for her views on the pandemic because she kept the state open during the lockdown and abandoned the requirement to wear a mask.
On Monday, she said on Twitter that if President Biden “unlawfully compulsory vaccination, I will take all actions required by law to protect South Dakota from the federal government.”
if @乔比登 Illegal mandatory vaccination, I will take all actions required by law to protect South Dakota from the federal government.
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) August 23, 2021
Photo: Getty Images North America/Michael Ciaglo
