ABERDEEN, S.D. (By American News Staff and Argus Leader reports) – An Aberdeen restaurant has decided to close temporarily because of a positive COVID-19 test.

Roma Ristorante Italiano on South Main Street made the announcement on its Facebook page.

“We want our customers to know we have went above and beyond all guidelines and we are shocked and heartbroken that this is happening,” the post reads. “We feel it’s in our customers’ best interests to temporarily close until other tests come back and we have time to recover. We hope everyone (stays) safe and we hope (the) Aberdeen community will continue to support us as they always have.”

Only three new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Brown County Friday by the South Dakota Department of Health. That pushes the total number to 269, of which 72 are active.

There has been one death and 13 people ever hospitalized. There have been 1,438 negative tests in Brown County, per state numbers.

However, COVID-19 claimed another five lives, the health department reported Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 59.

The department also reported 73 new coronavirus cases on 1,656 tests, for a daily positive rate of 4.4%.

Of the five new deaths, two were aged 80 or older, one was between 70 and 79 and two were between 40 and 49. Four were Minnehaha County residents and one was from Beadle County.

The state reported 46 recovered cases. For the second day, the state reported more positive cases than recovered cases.

In the previous seven days before Friday, South Dakota’s testing increased 60% over the previous week as officials implemented mass testing of residents and staff in long-term care facilities. As of Thursday, those numbers had risen to 2,570 residents and 3,706 staff, Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon said.

Health officials are also watching the data as communities relax restrictions on the number of patrons at bars, restaurants and other businesses. A spike in positive cases could lead to a return of restrictions.

“I definitely think that is one of those areas we need to monitor,” State Epidemiologist Josh Clayton said Thursday.

(visit www.aberdeennews.com)