COVID-19 News: Confirmed cases up in SW MN, but curve appears to be flattening

Redwood and Redwood Counties both now officially have their eighth confirmed cases of COVID-19, although it now appears the coronavirus pandemic curve is flattening. The state says about 8.1% of people who get tested, test positive. That’s down from more than 10% two weeks ago.

The Minnesota Department of Health on Monday reported 338 more cases of COVID-19. There have now been 28,224 cases reported since the pandemic began: of those, 23,657 have recovered. Eleven more deaths were reported Monday, bringing the state’s total to 1197, with 955 of those being patients that resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

Currently, 452 Minnesotans are hospitalized, and 198 are in the ICU.

In Monday’s report, county-by-county in southwestern MN:

Blue Earth: 152
Brown: 17 cases, up one from a week ago, with (two deaths total)
Chippewa County: 52, up one, with (one death total)
Cottonwood: 92, up 16 from last week but with no deaths)
Kandiyohi: 522, up 18 from last week, with (one death total)
Lac Qui Parle: 3
Lyon: 144, up 79 from last week, with two deaths total
McLeod: 44, up seven from last week
Meeker: 47, up two
Murray: 41
Redwood: 8, up two from last week
Renville: 8, up two from last week
Watonwan: 83, up six from last week
Yellow Medicine: 7, up one from last week