PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – As part of the efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the South Dakota Department of Health is calling everyone who tests positive to trace who they have been in contact with and then urge those people to isolate themselves.

Department Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon says they have put a lot of people into contact tracing.

Malsam-Rysdon says they really appreciate when people answer their calls or call them back.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Josh Clayton says their tracers try to be as efficient as possible.

The latest count shows the state with 2,500 active cases.