Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A day after reporting its highest one-day increase in lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, Freeborn County reported an additional 15 new cases on Friday.

The new cases push the total residents who have had the virus since the beginning of the pandemic to 504. Of that number, 71 are considered active cases, and two people are hospitalized.

The Freeborn County Public Health Department stated the breakdown of the new cases is as follows:

• One person between 0 to 10

• Nine people between 10 to 20

• One person in their 20s

• One person in their 30s

• One person in their 50s

• One person in their 60s

• One person in their 90s

Albert Lea Area Schools announced Thursday it would shift its classes to distance learning at the high school level for a week, before reviewing how to move ahead next Thursday. At that time, there were 12 new cases at the high school and two at the middle school.

The district said nine of the dozen cases were related to a single event from this past weekend unassociated with the district.

Classes at Brookside Education Center, all four elementary schools, Southwest Middle School and the Area Learning Center will remain in session.

“We ask for the support of the public for our staff and students during these challenging times,” a notice from the district stated Thursday afternoon. “Please emphasize social distancing and mask usage, and refrain from large gatherings.”

The following are updates of other area counties:

• Faribault County: no new cases, 129 total cases

• Mower County: eight new cases, 1,261 total cases

• Steele County: seven new cases, 513 total cases

• Waseca County: 11 new cases, 422 total cases

Statewide, there were 1,099 new cases reported, increasing the state’s cumulative case count to 87,807. Of that number, 80,221 are no longer in isolation, and 250 are hospitalized, including 136 in intensive care, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Eight new deaths were reported in Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Olmsted, Ramsey and Yellow Medicine counties. Six were residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The new deaths increase the state’s total death count to 1,950. Of that number, 1,414 were residents in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The state health department reported an increase in testing with 29,431 new tests completed, increasing the state’s cumulative tests to 1,791,680.