Minnesota reports first COVID-19 death among Sturgis attendees

The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed one of the state's most recent COVID-19 deaths was a patient who had attended the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota.

According to officials, the person was in their 60s, had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized and in the ICU.

So far, Minnesota has reported 50 COVID-19 cases involving those who attended the Sturgis Rally. Minnesota Department of Health Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann says health officials are also monitoring cases of secondary transmission linked to the Sturgis rally.

State health officials had urged those who attended the rally to self-isolate for 14 days after returning. The event lasted from Aug. 7 to Aug. 26. The South Dakota Department of Transportation said 462,182 motorcyclists attended the rally this year, down from 499,654 in 2019.