Two more area deaths from coronavirus

The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·2 min read

Nov. 12—MANKATO — South-central Minnesota's COVID-19 death toll rose to 345 Friday and the number of known regional cases since the start of the pandemic has surpassed 36,000.

A Brown County resident in their 80s and a Watonwan County resident in their 90s were among 28 deaths attributed to the coronavirus reported Friday by the Minnesota Department of Health.

There were eight deaths across the nine-county Free Press coverage area this week and 24 so far in November.

The number of cases reported regionally this week was just shy of 1,000. That's down from last week, when a state release of previously unreported re-infections skewed the weekly count. If those re-infections are excluded, the weekly case count is the highest it's been since early October.

Blue Earth County had the largest number of new cases over the last week — 343. Le Sueur County saw the biggest percentage increase with 130 more cases.

Mankato Area Public Schools reported 86 new cases among its students and staff between Nov. 5-11. That's more than double the number reported each of the last two weeks and the highest number since the start of the school year.

There were 57 new cases in district early childhood programs and elementary schools, 14 cases at the middle schools and 15 at the high schools.

The district has now had 360 cases since the start of the school year. The number includes students and staff who reported an infection by any source, not necessarily at school.

The district hosted a vaccination clinic for 5- to 11-year-olds Friday and all slots were filled.

St. Peter Public Schools reported 16 cases among students and four among staff as of Thursday. That's up from 13 total cases the prior week.

Nine of the new cases are at North Elementary School, six at the middle school, four at South Elementary School and one at the high school.

There are 69 St. Peter students and two staff members on quarantine.

Cases reported by the state on Friday totaled 179 for the region. Friday cases by county were:

—Blue Earth County — 65

—Nicollet County — 25

—Le Sueur County — 22

—Waseca County — 20

—Martin County — 14

—Sibley County — 10

—Faribault County — 8

—Watonwan County — 8

—Brown County — 7