COVID-19 death in Rice County; new cases reported across Southern MN

(St. Paul, MN) – One of the three latest COVID-19 deaths was a Rice County resident in their 50’s, according to the Minnesota Department of Health’s latest data.

The three deaths brought Minnesota’s death toll up to 1,477.  All three deaths involved private residents, according to MDH.

There were 569 new cases of the virus reported by MDH Tuesday, the most since June 23, which recorded 586 cases.   The largest case increase in a single day came on May 11, with 826 new cases reported.

New cases were reported in the following Southern Minnesota counties:

Blue Earth – 19
Brown – 3
Faribault – 1
Freeborn – 4
Le Sueur – 5
Lyon – 11
Martin – 2
Mower – 8
Murray – 1
Nicollet – 5
Nobles – 3
Redwood – 1
Renville – 1
Rice – 4
Steele – 6
Waseca – 3
Watonwan – 4

Blue Earth County Health last updated its data at 5:15 p.m. Monday. Aside from Tuesday’s cases, which are not included in the county data yet, there have been 19 hospitalizations out of 476 confirmed positive cases.  The median age of those hospitalized for the virus is 68.  People in their 20’s make up an overwhelming majority of the cases, with 293 people ages 20 – 29 testing positive for the virus.

In Freeborn County, the public health department says the five new cases involve a person under the age of 10, a person in their 30’s, a person in their 40’s, and a person in their 60’s.  No details were available about the fifth case.

Hospitalizations rose slightly since Monday, with 267 people hospitalized, nine more than yesterday, but intensive care hospitalizations are down by four, for a total of 121.