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Freeborn County reported its fourth COVID-19 death on Friday in the daily update from local and state health officials.

The death was a person in their early 80s, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea confirmed earlier this week the care center had its third resident pass away following a COVID-19 diagnosis.

“We are grieving with the families of these residents,” said Katie Davis, administrator of Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea. “Good Samaritan Society-Albert Lea continues to take extra precautions and is using vigorous infection control measures while also working closely with the Minnesota Department of Health. The health, safety and well-being of our residents, staff and the community we serve remains our top priority.”

As of Wednesday, the facility had 10 residents and 11 employees who were currently COVID-19 positive. Numbers were unavailable about the total number of residents and employees, including those who had recovered, who had at one point tested positive.

A statement from the care facility stated based on Minnesota Department of Health and CDC guidelines, the facility has implemented a number of protocols to help further minimize the risk of virus transmission, including resident cohorting systems for grouping residents together based on COVID-19 exposure or infection and implementing a new communication system to help decrease physical contact between staff. Staff are recommended to follow CDC guidelines for social distancing, masking and hand hygiene when they are not working.

The facility is partnering with Mayo Clinic Health System’s Rochester lab for weekly mass testing of residents and employees.

Freeborn County as a whole reported nine new COVID-19 cases on Friday, increasing the county’s cumulative total to 540. Sixty-two of those are considered active cases, and two people are currently hospitalized.

The new cases included the following:

• Two people between 10 and 20
• One person in their 20s
• One person in their 30s
• Two people in their 40s
• Two people in their 50s
• One person in their 90s

The following are new cases and cumulative totals in other area counties:

• Faribault County: five new cases, 141 total cases
• Mower County: 10 new cases, 1,322 total cases
• Steele County: eight new cases, 540 total cases
• Waseca County: two new cases, 614 total cases

Statewide, 1,191 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported, increasing the state’s cumulative total to 94,189.

Of that number, 84,256 are no longer in isolation. The Minnesota Department of Health reported two new COVID-19 admissions to the hospital and three who entered intensive care.

In addition to the death in Freeborn County, the state reported five other deaths in Anoka, Cass, Hennepin and Renville counties. All of the deaths were 70 or older, and three were residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The new deaths increase the state’s total death count to 1,994, of which 1,438 resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The state department indicated 28,230 new tests were completed, increasing the total tests

 

Minnesota COVID-19 cases, deaths

County	Cases	Deaths
Aitkin	76	1
Anoka	6,006	133
Becker	272	2
Beltrami	413	5
Benton	536	3
Big Stone	81	0
Blue Earth	1,676	6
Brown	184	2
Carlton	263	1
Carver	1,396	7
Cass	165	4
Chippewa	208	1
Chisago	484	1
Clay	1,371	40
Clearwater	27	0
Cook	6	0
Cottonwood	224	0
Crow Wing	494	18
Dakota	7,428	125
Dodge	232	0
Douglas	297	2
Faribault	141	0
Fillmore	116	0
Freeborn	540	4
Goodhue	360	9
Grant	61	4
Hennepin	26,706	928
Houston	125	0
Hubbard	97	1
Isanti	289	0
Itasca	313	14
Jackson	145	1
Kanabec	119	8
Kandiyohi	982	2
Kittson	12	0
Koochiching	121	3
Lac qui Parle	53	1
Lake	58	0
Lake of the Woods	21	1
Le Sueur	460	4
Lincoln	111	0
Lyon	678	4
Mahnomen	46	1
Marshall	51	1
Martin	394	10
McLeod	478	2
Meeker	198	2
Mille Lacs	158	3
Morrison	233	1
Mower	1,322	5
Murray	163	2
Nicollet	529	16
Nobles	1,961	16
Norman	54	0
Olmsted	2,388	28
Otter Tail	430	4
Pennington	117	1
Pine	319	0
Pipestone	220	10
Polk	305	4
Pope	92	0
Ramsey	10,775	319
Red Lake	44	1
Redwood	158	1
Renville	147	8
Rice	1,328	8
Rock	166	0
Roseau	118	0
Scott	2,532	33
Sherburne	1,137	14
Sibley	191	3
St. Louis	1,555	39
Stearns	3,950	24
Steele	540	2
Stevens	97	1
Swift	137	1
Todd	488	2
Traverse	29	0
Wabasha	188	0
Wadena	68	0
Waseca	614	8
Washington	3,735	55
Watonwan	520	4
Wilkin	63	3
Winona	870	18
Wright	1,603	7
Yellow Medicine	176	2
Unknown/missing	155	0