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Four new COVID-19 deaths were reported in the area on Wednesday in the update from health officials.

One was a Freeborn County resident between 55 and 59; one was a Mower County resident between 85 and 89; and the remaining two were Steele County residents, one between 45 and 49 and the other between 70 and 74. 

Aside from the deaths, new case numbers have continued to lower in the last two weeks. 

Freeborn County reported six new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19, and another case was listed as probable. The county has reported 8,764 total cases, and 69 county residents have died from COVID-19 complications.

Among the new cases, one was found in an infant newborn to 4 years old, two cases were found in children 5 to 9, and one case each was found in a resident in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. 

No new residents in Freeborn County were sent to a hospital for care, and there are 124 lab-confirmed cases.

Steele County reported nine new cases of the coronavirus, with another two cases listed as probable. Steele has recorded 10,085 total cases, and 53 area residents have died.

Mower County reported four new cases of COVID-19, and there was another case listed as probable. Mower has recorded 11,586 total cases of COVID-19, and 66 county residents have died.

Faribault County confirmed two new cases. That raises the county’s total number of cases to 3,672 since the pandemic began, and 49 residents have lost their lives.

Waseca County also reported two new cases. Within the county there have been 5,360 total cases. Thirty-eight county residents have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Minnesota had 1,051 new cases of COVID-19, raising the state’s total number of cases to 1,400,624. Forty-one new Minnesotans died as of 11 a.m. on Tuesday, increasing the state’s total number of casualties to 11,903.