South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is challenging the CDC’s assertions that a 2020 event held in South Dakota was a COVID-19 “super spreader.” Following the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which attracted more than 460,000 people from 61% of all U.S. counties, a report from San Diego State University’s Center for Health Economics & Policy Studies claimed the rally caused 260,000 COVID cases.
State health agencies disagreed with the report, providing data where the total was only 649. Based on information from 39 state health agencies including South Dakota's, the CDC currently shows 649 positive cases of COVID-19 across the country that were linked to the Black Hills rally. Researchers noted that health agencies in all 50 states plus four major cities were contacted for the study; however, 15 did not respond, which means that the 649 could have been higher had they reported.
Noem said inaccurate guesses and the headlines they generate are no more than an attempt to "demonize" the Sturgis event. "We're talking about the Sturgis bike rally and that has been labeled for almost a year as a super-spreader event, which was an absolute lie," she said.
SOURCE: WND May 5, 2021