South Dakota Influenza Activity Remains Low Heading into Late December

Northeast Radio SD News – South Dakota - South Dakota health officials report that influenza activity remains at a low level across the state as of the week ending December 13, 2025.

According to the latest data from the South Dakota Department of Health, there were 350 new influenza cases and 14 new hospitalizations reported during the most recent tracking period, known as MMWR Week 50. No flu-related deaths were reported for the week, keeping the season total at zero.

2025-2026 Season at a Glance

Since the start of the 2025-2026 flu season, the state has recorded:

·        Total Confirmed Cases: 546

·        Total Hospitalizations: 29

·        Total Deaths: 0

·        Geographic Spread: Local

Current data shows that while cases are increasing, the overall impact is significantly lower than the historical average for this time of year. For comparison, the average annual totals between 2017 and 2025 included approximately 12,504 confirmed cases and 690 hospitalizations.

Rapid antigen testing during Week 50 yielded a positivity rate of 6.72%, with 18 positive results among 268 tests administered. The cumulative positivity rate for the entire 2025-2026 season currently stands at 3.39%.

Health officials typically see influenza activity peak in South Dakota during the first week of February. Given this trend, residents are encouraged to stay vigilant. The Department of Health continues to monitor the situation through its statewide dashboard and provides resources for vaccination and antiviral medications through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For more information on reporting or to view the whole data dashboard, residents can visit the South Dakota Department of Health website.

What is reportable in South Dakota for Influenza: https://doh.sd.gov/diseases/infectious/reporting.aspx

·        Link for reporting confirmed cases of influenza (PCR, DFA, Culture) sd.gov/diseasereport

·        Link for reporting influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths (Positive Influenza test of any kind within previous 14 days) sd.gov/diseasereport

·        Link for reporting rapid antigen influenza tests aggregately https://apps.sd.gov/ph93morbidity/secure/Influenza.aspx

·        Link for reporting respiratory outbreaks sd.gov/outbreakreport