August 7 to 16, South Dakota hosted the 80th annual Sturgis motorcycle rally. A week after the end of the massive 10-day motorcycle rally, new COVID-19 cases are being linked back to the event. 

Health officials in multiple states are reporting new cases that can be traced back to Sturgis. New coronavirus cases are being reported in four states including South Dakota which hosted the event. There are also reports of 7 cases in Minnesota, and 15 cases in Nebraska. 

The rally took place in the small town of Sturgis, which has a population 7,000. And was attended by an estimated 350,000 bikers in what may have been the largest public event in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic.

Attendees of the rally came from all over the U.S., including states that have experienced recent increases in COVID-19 cases like California, Arizona, Texas, and Georgia.

South Dakota’s health department reports

The State of South Dakota’s head epidemiologist, Josh Clayton, reported that notices were received from other states of positive cases from people who attended the rally. Clayton said that under 25 new cases have been tied to the rally. 

Public warnings were issued for two bars. One is located in the Sturgis city limits, the other at a bar on U.S. Highway 385 near Mount Rushmore.

Healthcare workers have been in touch with those infected trying to determine all their contacts.

On Thursday, there were reports of 125 new statewide confirmed coronavirus cases. There were also two additional deaths. In total, South Dakota has now reported 10,691 cases and 157 deaths from coronavirus.

Key facts about the 2020 motorcycle rally 

There was some controversy about whether the rally should be held this year due to COVID-19 concerns. City officials ultimately deferred to the business community and gave it the green-light to proceed. 

Although many locals wanted to stop the rally, in Sturgis and the surrounding areas, the economy is largely based on having the annual event.

At the rally, there was not a lot of social distancing or mask-wearing going on. South Dakota has no mask mandate. Although many organizers and bar owners encouraged the use of masks they were not a requirement. South Dakota is one of only two states that don’t have government required mask-wearing in any circumstance.

The rally began in 1938 as a motorcycle race known as the “Black Hills Classic.” Only 9 motorcycles participated. By 1965, it had grown into a five-day event. It expanded to seven days in 1975. In 2016 it had become a 10-day festival. 

The largest crowd of 600,000 was recorded in 2000, according to the rally’s website.

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