Steele County cases rise to 58

Published 11:27 am Saturday, May 9, 2020

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Steele County continues to see the largest increase in COVID-19 cases of all area counties with 13 new cases reported Saturday, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

The new cases push the county’s total from 45 to 58.

Steele County stated on its Facebook page on Thursday that an area business was experiencing a cluster of employees who had tested positive for COVID-19, and Steele County Public Health was partnering with the Minnesota Department of Health, health care partners and the business to address the situation and to try to contain further spread.

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Freeborn County has now had 43 cases, an increase in two cases from the day prior, and Mower County has now had 42 cases, an increase in five cases.

The Freeborn County Public Health Department said Friday 26 of the county’s cases were out of isolation.

Faribault saw three new cases, increasing its total to 10, and Waseca County saw an increase in three cases, moving its total to 16.

Statewide, total positive cases increased to 10,790 cases, an increase in 702 cases. Of the total cases, 6,322 people have recovered and no longer need isolation, and 558 people have died, an increase in 24 from the previous day. Of the total deaths, 449 resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

Twelve of the new deaths were in Hennepin County in residents ranging from 70 to over 100.

The Minnesota Department of Health stated 476 people are hospitalized as of today, including 180 in intensive care.

The median age of hospitalized cases is 61, though ages have ranged from an infant less than 1 month old to a person 102 years of age. The median age of the people who have died is 83, though ages have ranged from 30 to 109. The median age for all cases is 44.

The highest number of overall cases have been reported in Hennepin County, with 3,379 cases and 374 deaths. Counties with the next highest numbers are Stearns County with 1,348 cases and Nobles County with 1,230.

Ramsey County has had 875 cases, and Anoka County has had 518 cases. Olmsted County has had 363 cases, and Rice County has had 102.

The department stated 106,263 tests have been completed, including 14,651 through the Minnesota Department of Health’s public health lab and 91,612 through external laboratories.