Active Public Health Outbreaks: South Dakota
Surveillance Report • November 30, 2025
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Severe OutbreakSouth Dakota is experiencing a historic surge in pertussis cases, disproportionately affecting infants and children. A pediatric death was confirmed in January 2025 due to co-infection with influenza.
+962% Increase over average
Syphilis Crisis
CriticalA severe and ongoing outbreak is devastating Native American communities in the Great Plains region. Rates have skyrocketed, leading to urgent calls for federal intervention.
Contrasting Viewpoints: The Syphilis Response
A significant rift exists regarding the classification and resource allocation for the syphilis outbreak. The Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board has formally requested a federal Public Health Emergency declaration, citing infection rates higher than any recorded in the U.S. since 1941. They argue that current resources are insufficient to handle contact tracing and treatment across vast rural reservations.
Conversely, federal and state agencies have stopped short of a full emergency declaration. Instead, the CDC and South Dakota Department of Health have deployed "technical assistance" teams and task forces. State officials point to a recent decline in new case numbers in late 2024 as evidence that current targeted interventions are working, despite tribal leaders insisting that the crisis remains at a boiling point due to systemic resource shortages.
Respiratory Virus Surveillance
| Pathogen | Current Status (Nov 2025) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Influenza | Active Season | Increasing |
| COVID-19 | Low Activity | Stable / Low |
| Measles | 2 Confirmed Cases (2025) | Monitoring |
*Measles cases in 2025 were travel-related (Meade County). Public exposure alerts were issued for Rapid City and Sturgis locations.
Environmental Health Alerts
- Salmonella: South Dakota confirmed 5 cases linked to a multi-state outbreak involving contaminated sprouts in mid-2025. A separate recall for cucumbers also affected the state.
- Water Quality: A boil water advisory was issued and subsequently lifted in Sioux Falls in September 2025 due to E. coli. Advocacy groups like Friends of the Big Sioux River continue to report "exceedingly high" E. coli levels in waterways, attributing it to agricultural runoff—a point of contention with state regulators who favor voluntary compliance over stricter mandates.