Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Linked To Hundreds Of Coronavirus Cases, First COVID-19 Death Reported

The first COVID-19 death traced back to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota was reported Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Health.

The agency told the Washington Post, that a man in his 60s with underlying health conditions was hospitalized and placed in intensive care after being infected with the coronavirus.

In Minnesota alone, there have been at least 49 participants in the Sturgis event who have tested positive for the virus, according to health officials. As many as 11 states across the country have reported at least 260 positive cases of the coronavirus linked to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the Post noted.

The rally, which was held Aug. 7-16, came under fire as the city allowed the event to move forward in the wake of the pandemic. The event attracted over 400,000 participants from around the world and was held after an 8-1 vote by city officials. Residents had called for the event to be canceled.

The event drew criticism for attendees who packed bars without masks and ignored social distancing guidelines. South Dakota has since seen its coronavirus cases double to 13,749, with over 167 COVID-19 deaths, NBC News reported.

Since the last day of the Sturgis Rally, South Dakota has recorded 3,475 new positive coronavirus cases and 14 deaths.