Sturgis (South Dakota), a small town with less than 7,000 population is notable ‘one of the largest annual motorcycle events in the world’. “The 10-day event begins on the first Friday of August and attracts large numbers of motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world” according to the Wikipedia.

Health Experts’ Concerns

“Health experts were concerned the mass gathering could be a ‘super-spreader’ event, as many attendees travel from all over the country — including coronavirus hotspots — and could bring infections back home when they return” writes the CNN.

“South Dakota Department of Transportation officials tracked over 462,000 vehicles entering Sturgis during the rally. That total is a 7.5% decline from the previous year but still represents one of the largest gatherings since the coronavirus pandemic began. Many of those gathered did not wear masks or keep distance from others, most notably at a concert for the rock band Smash Mouth.”

Sturgis COVID-19 Cases

The Associated Press reports that COVID-19 cases are spreading fast from the Sturgis rally visitors.

An analysis of anonymous cellphone data from Camber Systems, a firm that aggregates cellphone activity for health researchers, found that 61 percent of all the counties in the U.S. have been visited by someone who attended Sturgis, creating a travel hub that was comparable to a major U.S. city.

The Associated Press

Sturgis Cases in Minnesota

The MinnPost reports that the COVID-19 cases of Minnesotans who attended the Stugis motorcycle rally as risen to 27, as of August 24. ” Of the 27 cases, 25 were among attendees and two were among volunteers or employees. Twenty-four households are affected. The Sturgis attendee who was hospitalized as of Friday due to COVID-19 has been released.”

Kris Ehresmann, infectious disease director at the Minnesota Department of Health, advised people to quarantine for two weeks if they attended the rally. “We’re expecting that we’re going to see many more cases associated with Sturgis”.