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Minnesota reported 37 new COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, including one each from Faribault, Mower and Waseca counties.

The Faribault County person was between 90 and 94; the person from Mower County was between 80 and 84; and the person from Waseca County was between 75 and 79 years old, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Other people who died ranged in age from late 60s to over 100, and 22 resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The state has now had 5,887 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, of which 3,756 resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The state reported 1,529 new cases, increasing the cumulative total to 445,047. Of that number, about 20,000 are still considered active cases, and 612 were hospitalized as of Thursday, including 125 in intensive care, the state department said.

Freeborn County reported 25 new lab-confirmed cases and one probable case and has now had 2,413 total cases.

The Freeborn County Public Health Department reported of the total cases, 234 are considered active. Three new people were hospitalized.

The new cases included the following:

• One person between 5 and 9

• Five people between 15 and 19

• Four people in their 20s

• Five people in their 30s

• Four people in their 40s

• One person in their 50s

• Three people in their 60s

• Two people in their 70s

• One person age unknown

The county health department issued a press release Saturday acknowledging that Freeborn County’s positive lab-confirmed cases have remained high over the last few weeks while other southeastern Minnesota counties’ numbers have started to decline.

“In reviewing the data, it is evident that Freeborn County is experiencing a number of factors that have contributed to this increase in positive cases,” the releases stated. “Some of the factors involve family and private gatherings to celebrate the recent holidays, youth sports practices starting, and bars and restaurants opening up. Please continue to remain vigilant now especially as more

activities are opening up. Please continue to wash your hands, mask up and do the social distancing.”

The release stated the county, Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and pharmacies are working hard to get health care providers, first responders, long-term care facilities and assisted living facilities vaccinated as soon as vaccine comes in.

The county received 300 doses of vaccine over the last month and has vaccinated 180 first responders, COVID testers and COVID vaccinators thus far.

This coming week, the county public health department will vaccinate community health care providers, such as dental, home care and chiropractic offices with the remaining 120 doses.

“It is not known when we will receive more vaccine,” the release said. “When we receive more vaccine, we will vaccinate the remaining community health care providers and then the 65 and older population and teachers and child care providers.”

The county is working closely with Mayo Clinic Health System to coordinate vaccination efforts.

The following are updates on other area counties:

• Faribault County: eight new lab-confirmed cases; 1,046 total cases

• Mower County: 21 new lab-confirmed cases, one probable case; 3,623 total cases

• Steele County: 10 new lab-confirmed cases; 2,711 total cases

• Waseca County: seven new lab-confirmed cases, one probable case; 1,888 total cases

The state reported 30,774 new tests were completed, including 27,608 PCR tests and 3,166 antigen tests.

 

Minnesota COVID-19 cases, deaths

County	Total confirmed cases	Total probable cases	Total cases	Total deaths
Aitkin	1,044	27	1,071	33
Anoka	28,501	2,310	30,811	360
Becker	2,756	61	2,817	38
Beltrami	2,896	191	3,087	46
Benton	3,978	189	4,167	85
Big Stone	445	9	454	3
Blue Earth	5,331	49	5,380	33
Brown	2,091	46	2,137	34
Carlton	2,411	370	2,781	43
Carver	6,534	380	6,914	36
Cass	2,012	49	2,061	23
Chippewa	1,272	36	1,308	32
Chisago	4,254	243	4,497	32
Clay	6,381	103	6,484	78
Clearwater	655	30	685	14
Cook	113	0	113	0
Cottonwood	1,181	84	1,265	18
Crow Wing	4,719	77	4,796	73
Dakota	31,287	1,501	32,788	331
Dodge	1,318	12	1,330	4
Douglas	3,567	157	3,724	66
Faribault	1,038	8	1,046	15
Fillmore	1,205	16	1,221	5
Freeborn	2,393	20	2,413	20
Goodhue	3,392	44	3,436	57
Grant	421	4	425	7
Hennepin	89,140	3,351	92,491	1,470
Houston	1,304	49	1,353	13
Hubbard	1,444	39	1,483	38
Isanti	2,634	177	2,811	41
Itasca	2,784	42	2,826	43
Jackson	792	58	850	10
Kanabec	950	22	972	18
Kandiyohi	5,477	51	5,528	71
Kittson	333	37	370	19
Koochiching	579	11	590	10
Lac qui Parle	601	55	656	16
Lake	565	64	629	15
Lake of the Woods	173	7	180	1
Le Sueur	2,059	26	2,085	15
Lincoln	472	10	482	1
Lyon	2,914	84	2,998	35
Mahnomen	407	1	408	7
Marshall	685	16	701	15
Martin	1,653	38	1,691	26
McLeod	3,182	49	3,231	44
Meeker	1,955	30	1,985	33
Mille Lacs	2,049	79	2,128	45
Morrison	2,970	130	3,100	43
Mower	3,559	64	3,623	28
Murray	775	90	865	5
Nicollet	2,178	55	2,233	36
Nobles	3,586	81	3,667	46
Norman	419	3	422	8
Olmsted	10,293	64	10,357	75
Otter Tail	4,351	183	4,534	64
Pennington	895	82	977	15
Pine	2,506	145	2,651	13
Pipestone	900	38	938	23
Polk	3,075	202	3,277	56
Pope	726	9	735	5
Ramsey	38,190	1,513	39,703	735
Red Lake	274	42	316	4
Redwood	1,360	32	1,392	27
Renville	1,314	51	1,365	39
Rice	5,907	94	6,001	66
Rock	991	104	1,095	12
Roseau	1,540	113	1,653	16
Scott	11,437	462	11,899	96
Sherburne	7,616	541	8,157	65
Sibley	1,044	35	1,079	7
St. Louis	12,860	686	13,546	240
Stearns	17,177	598	17,775	185
Steele	2,699	12	2,711	9
Stevens	688	9	697	8
Swift	807	23	830	18
Todd	2,284	25	2,309	29
Traverse	208	39	247	3
Wabasha	1,676	12	1,688	3
Wadena	1,151	43	1,194	16
Waseca	1,872	16	1,888	16
Washington	19,198	806	20,004	225
Watonwan	1,053	8	1,061	8
Wilkin	589	33	622	9
Winona	3,826	36	3,862	46
Wright	10,704	844	11,548	102
Yellow Medicine	864	69	933	14
Unknown/missing	409	25	434	0