At Least 22 Coronavirus Cases Linked To Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Attended By Hundreds Of Thousands

Minnesota officials say 15 state residents who attended the rally have been diagnosed with Covid-19, including one who is hospitalized, officials said Friday, while seven were identified in Nebraska on Wednesday.

State officials tracked 460,000 vehicles going into the 10-day event from Aug. 7-16, and photos from the rally show people crowding together with little mask usage.

The rock band Smash Mouth performed for a packed audience, and lead singer Steve Harwell screamed at the crowd, F*ck that COVID sh*t," video shows.

South Dakota's Health Department identified this week local businesses where attendees could have potentially been exposed, including a tattoo parlor where an employee tested positive and three bars -The Knuckle Saloon, Broken Spoke Saloon and One Eyed Jack's Saloon-that were visited by at least one infected individual.

It's unclear how many total cases are linked to the rally in South Dakota, and the state's health department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Rally organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

I'm a San Francisco-based reporter covering breaking news at Forbes. I've previously reported for USA Today, Business Insider, The San Francisco Business Times and San

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