We'd seen a lot of twaddle on social media about novel coronavirus being something white people couldn't catch, but we thought that was just racist trolling.
Apparently not. At the Sioux Falls Argus Leader on Tuesday, Jonathna Ellis reports in Huron mayor: Coronavirus infections not from immigrants:
Huron Mayor Paul Aylward said Tuesday that all of the people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Beadle County are Caucasian.
Huron Police Capt. Mark Johnson said in an email that the statement was in response to "numerous rumors, that Huron’s minority population has tested positive for COVID-19 and is spreading it around the community."
Beadle County has 13 of the state's 30 confirmed cases, including state Rep. Bob Glanzer, a Huron Republican. Huron is also home to the Dakota Provisions turkey processing plant. That plant's workforce includes a large immigrant population. Huron is home to Karen people, a minority from Myanmar, as well as other Asians and Latinos, and Aylward said 25% of the city's population is not Caucasian.
In his statement, Aylward said the South Dakota Department of Health confirmed that all of Beadle County's cases were white people. He also said the disease doesn't discriminate.
"We as a community are in this battle together," Aylward said. "We need to work together as a community, neighbor helping neighbor."
We suspect Huron is home not only the World's Largest Pheasant, but also some of the biggest turkeys as well, although this is an insult to the intelligence of both domestic and wild birds. We hope Representative Glanzer and all those with COVID-19 in Beadle County recover, and the rest of the people practice good pandemic behavior.
Like staying away from Roberts County, where we live.
The Argus Leader also reports Coronavirus: Huron closes bars and restaurants after more cases reported. On Sunday, KOTA TV reported Gov. Noem: COVID-19 expected to spread through Beadle County.
Photo: World's Largest Pheasant (Huron, South Dakota) This pheasant sculpture was erected in Huron, South Dakota in 1959. Via Courthouselover on Flickr.
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