MDH reports six additional COVID-19 cases in Mower County Thursday for a cumulative total of 1,094

The Minnesota Department of Health reported Thursday that the total number of deaths due to the COVID-19, or coronavirus in the state has risen to 1,636, while the cumulative total of positive cases in the state has risen to over 58,000.

Health officials indicated that the state now has a total of 58,640 positive cases since the start of the pandemic, which was up 867 from 57,779 cases on Wednesday, and the 1,636 deaths due to the virus was up seven from 1,629 on Wednesday as the state continues to see single-digit increases in its number of COVID-19 related deaths.  They added that 1,240 COVID-19 related deaths thus far in Minnesota have been from cases that resided in long-term or assisted living facilities.  Mower County has now recorded 1,094 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, which was up six from 1,088 on Wednesday.  Community Health Division Manager Pam Kellogg stated that the county has been averaging anywhere from 30-35 active infectious cases for the past three weeks, and she added that approximately 90% of those cases are in the city of Austin, while the other 10% reside in other parts of the county.  Kellogg indicated that the range in age for those who have contracted the virus in the county has been anywhere from six months to age 98.

Olmsted County now has 1,688 cumulative cases, which was up 39 from 1,649 on Monday.  Freeborn County recorded 358 cases Thursday, up two from 356 on Wednesday, Steele County now has 338 cases, up four from 334 on Tuesday, Dodge County reported 125 cases for the second straight day Thursday and  Fillmore County remained at 61 cases for a third straight day.

319 patients were being hospitalized for COVID-19 in Minnesota at last word, which was up 14 from 305 on Wednesday, and 153 of those patients were being treated in intensive care units, which was up one from 152 on Wednesday.  51,604 patients in Minnesota no longer need to be isolated.