Watonwan County reports COVID death

A Watonwan County resident in their early 90’s has died of COVID-19, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

The death was among 20 statewide reported in Tuesday’s daily update, which includes data from the weekend and Monday.  It’s the 16th death in Watonwan County, while Minnesota’s death toll stands at 8,882.

Another 7,173 infections were logged Tuesday, including 92 cases in Blue Earth County, 44 in Nicollet County, and 34 in Le Sueur County.

A capacity report shows 1,122 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized, including 249 in intensive care.  Minnesota’s south-central region has three available staffed ICU beds (or 13%), but ICU capacity around the state is otherwise dwindling, according to the report.