With cases in the area and across the state in the " worst spot " since March, Wadena County has seen 131 additional positive cases of COVID-19 between Nov. 23-Dec. 1.
While some patients who tested positive for COVID-19 may no longer need to be in isolation, area counties continue to see increases in positive COVID-19 cases; from Nov. 13-27 Becker County had an additional 782 cases, Hubbard 357, Otter Tail 1,214, Todd 394 and Wadena 268.
As of Dec. 1, the Minnesota Department of Health reports the following cumulative positive cases of COVID-19:
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- Becker County: 2,116
- Hubbard County: 1,171
- Otter Tail County: 3,263
- Todd County: 1,852
- Wadena County: 831
In Wadena County, there were no additional deaths from COVID-19 and its complications from Nov. 25-Dec. 1.
The first
three COVID-19 deaths
in Wadena County were reported on Oct. 21, 22 and 23 with the people in the at least 100 years old, 95-99 years old and 60-64 years old age range, according to MDH. The fourth and fifth losses were on Nov. 3 and 4 with the people in the 95-99 years old and 85-89 years old age ranges. The sixth death from was reported by MDH on Nov. 12 with the person in the 70-74 years old range.
In area counties, Becker County had six additional deaths, Hubbard County five, Otter Tail County eight and Todd County two from Nov. 25-Dec. 1. The people were in the 65-100 years old age ranges. There were 22 newly reported deaths statewide on Dec. 1 for a total of 3,615, according to MDH.
RELATED: Minnesota COVID-19 cases, deaths rise dramatically toward end of holiday weekend
As of Nov. 27, the MDH list of schools with five or more cases of COVID-19 over a two-week period in students or staff who were in the building while infectious includes the following area county schools: Detroit Lakes Middle; Detroit Lakes Senior High; Roosevelt Elementary in Detroit Lakes; Frazee Secondary; Century Middle School Within A School in Park Rapids; Park Rapids Senior High; Battle Lake Elementary; Heart of The Lake Elementary in Perham; Kennedy High School in Fergus Falls; New York Mills Secondary; Parkers Prairie Secondary; Perham Senior High; Underwood Secondary; Browerville Elementary; Browerville Secondary; Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Elementary; Staples-Motley Senior High; and Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High. If you have a student at one of these schools, you would have received communication from the school if your student needed to quarantine based on being a close contact.
Public Health encourages the community to “stay diligent” with mitigation efforts that protect you and the community: wear a mask, keep a social distance of six feet or more, wash your hands well and often and stay home and consider getting tested if you have COVID symptoms or are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. People also should not be gathering with people outside of their household, including for upcoming holidays, since it is "dangerous," as Wadena County Public Health director Cindy Pederson said.
RELATED: New COVID-19 testing sites across Minnesota include Wadena
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The free COVID-19 testing available at the Wadena Armory is also encouraged whether people have symptoms or are asymptomatic. People in the 18-35 years old age range are a focused priority since people in that age are most known to be asymptomatic, according to Pederson. People of any age can be asymptomatic. The testing will help bring better understanding to the spread of the virus in the community.
COVID-19 information
Lakewood Health System COVID-19 website: www.lakewoodhealthsystem.com/coronaviruscovid-19/ or 218-894-1515
Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 hotline: 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903, which is available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 website: www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html
Tri-County Health Care COVID-19 website: www.tchc.org/coronavirus or 218-631-3510
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