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Freeborn County reported another COVID-19 death on Friday of a person between 85 and 89 years of age.

The death is the 37th COVID-19 death to occur in the county.

The death comes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the county.

On Friday, 13 new cases were reported, increasing the active cases to 66.

The new cases included four people in their 20s, three in their 30s, two in their 40s, two in their 50s, one in their 60s and one in their 80s.

The city of Albert Lea announced Wednesday that starting Monday it will require people to wear face masks in all city-owned properties again regardless of vaccination status.

This includes City Hall, the library, City Arena, the police station, the fire station, city garage and the Senior Center. People are advised to stay home if they are sick and to practice social distancing.

The change comes as Freeborn County last week was classified as an area with a high COVID-19 transmission rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states of the entire county population, 46.7% of residents are fully vaccinated. Of residents 18 and older, 57.2% are fully vaccinated.

Albert Lea Area Schools also sent out a notice to parents Friday afternoon strongly recommending masking for staff and students who are not fully vaccinated. Masking is required on all school buses.

The district will also have daily check-ins, temperature checks, and cleaning and sanitizing.

Referencing information from Mayo Clinic, the district said the best line of defense against COVID-19, including the delta variant, is vaccination. For those

“For those unable to vaccinate, including students under 12, masking continues to be the most effective measure to prevent spread,” the notice said. “Mayo Clinic researchers recently published a study that supports the protective value and effectiveness of widespread masking. It is important to note that masking is most effective when done by both parties.”