South Dakota Governor leads the lockdown rebellion: Kristi Noems says people across US have 'given up liberties for a little bit of security' and vows to keep her state OPEN

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem accused Americans across the nation of giving up their 'liberties for a little bit of security', vowing to go against the grain and keep her state open as protests against lockdown orders are staged nationwide.

Infections in the state have trebled in just one week and is home to one of the country's largest virus hotspots following an outbreak at a pork processing plant. 

At the start of the month there were only 129 infections in the state but, as of Thursday, 988 cases have since been confirmed and six deaths reported. 

Despite the alarming surge of COVID-19 cases in such a short space of time, Noem insists she still had no plans to implement a lock-down.

The controversial Governor assured critics that she will continue to make decisions based on 'science and 'facts', 'rather than letting emotion grab a hold of the situation.'

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem accused Americans across the nation of giving up their 'liberties for a little bit of security', vowing to go against the grain and continue to keep her state open despite nationwide calls to order a shutdown

South Dakota saw its infection numbers spike following an outbreak at a Chinese-owned pork processing plant in Sioux Falls where about 500 employees tested positive for coronavirus 

She argued that it was up to individuals - and not governments - to decide if they should go to work, worship or stay at home. 

'I took an oath when I was in congress, obviously to uphold the constitution of the United States. I believe in our freedoms and liberties,' Noem said in an interview with FOX News.

'What I've seen across the country is so many people give up their liberties for just a little bit of security. And I don't have to do that. 

'If a leader will take too much power in a time of crisis, that is how we lose our country. So I felt like I've had to use every single opportunity to talk about why we slow things down, we make decisions based on science and facts and make sure that we are not letting emotion grab a hold of the situation.' 

South Dakota saw its infection numbers spike following an outbreak at a Chinese-owned pork processing plant in Sioux Falls where about 500 employees tested positive for coronavirus.

An estimated 120 people, who are family members of the employees, have also now tested positive.  

The combination of the figures means the outbreak at Smithfield Foods, which was forced to shutdown this week, is responsible for the single largest cluster of coronavirus cases in the country. 

While acknowledging the troubling outbreak, Noem said that, outside of Sioux Falls, two thirds of South Dakota has either no cases or only one coronavirus case in an entire county, which in her opinion is an indication the situation is very much under control.

'We are addressing the one hot spot that we do have an aggressively testing in that area,' Noem said. 'And South Dakotans are doing a fantastic job following my recommendations.'

By ignoring calls to shutdown the state, Noem says she has been able to keep businesses open, while also allowing people to 'take on some personal responsibility'. 

Gov Noem also accused the media and high-profile critics such as Elizabeth Warren of conflating her decision not to issue a lockdown with the outbreak at the food plant.

'What they are neglecting to tell folks is that this processing plant is critical infrastructure. Regardless of a shelter-in-place order or not, it would have been up and running because it's an important part of our nation's food supply,' Noem Thundered.

'So that's what's been happening on the national level, they've been not telling all the facts behind us. 

'If the people of South Dakota can be trusted to make good decisions. We have common sense. That's why people want to live here that's why I love living here.'

Smithfield Foods, which is headquartered in Virginia, is owned by China's WH Group Ltd. The company announced that in addition to closing its Sioux Falls plant, it was also shutting plants in Wisconsin and Missouri.  

Employees, local officials and industry sources told Reuters late last year that workers box up pig carcasses to ship to China instead of providing meat to Americans. 

It comes after the South Dakota State Medical Association wrote a letter to Gov Noem on April 3 urging her to issue a quarantine order for residents.

'A stay-at-home order would give our health professionals the necessary time and resources to manage this pandemic,' the group said.  

'We may soon be facing the challenges and hardships being seen in New York and other cities if a shelter in place order is not issued immediately.' 

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul Ten Haken, who is also a Republican, issued an ordinance this week that requires residents in the city to stay at home after Gov Noem refused his request to issue a statewide one.

His ordinance allows residents to still travel for work, as well as out for groceries and essential items. It urges people to social distance if they are outside.

In an interview with CBS This Morning on Wednesday, the mayor said the number of cases were 'staggering'.

'The growth that we've seen in our COVID cases, really in the last week, has been a bit staggering,' TenHaken said. 

'We're doubling and we've been doubling every four days for the last 18 days.' 

In reference to Gov Noem refusing to issue a lockdown, the mayor went on to say that he would rather be 'chastised for being over-cautious' than for not doing enough to stop the spread of the coronavirus.