UPDATE: Region had slight drop in new COVID-19 cases this week

Brian Arola, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·3 min read

Mar. 5—MANKATO — South-central Minnesota counties had fewer new COVID-19 cases this week than the prior week.

The nine area counties combined for 332 new cases between Feb. 27 and March 5, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

It was a 7.3% decrease from the previous week.

Weekly case totals have jumped around over the last month. Before the slight drop this week, cases rose then dropped then rose again over the previous three weeks.

Despite the bouncing numbers, the last three weeks have at least had a narrower range for new cases. Weekly totals remained between 332 and 358 despite testing fluctuations in the counties.

This week's dip in cases was fueled by drops in six of the nine counties. Only Blue Earth, Le Sueur and Martin counties didn't have fewer cases.

Blue Earth County's weekly case total rose from 87 to 97. Le Sueur County had a rise from 33 to 39, while Martin County's 25 new cases were the same as the previous week.

Watonwan County had the biggest drop in cases, going from 27 to 16. Nicollet County had a more gradual dip from 70 to 64 new cases.

This week's total included 52 newly confirmed COVID cases and no new deaths Friday. There were 13 COVID deaths confirmed statewide, raising Minnesota's pandemic death toll to 6,534.

The full list of newly confirmed cases by area county includes:

Blue Earth County — 11

Nicollet County — 10

Brown County — 10

Le Sueur County — 5

Faribault County — 5

Waseca County — 3

Watonwan County — 3

Sibley County — 3

Martin County — 2

Statewide, Minnesota's COVID numbers show disease conditions are fairly stable.

Hospitalization rates remain at levels last seen before the late-fall surge in cases. There were 224 people hospitalized with COVID in Minnesota as of Thursday; 57 needed intensive care.

Known, active cases came in at 7,461, continuing a trend that stayed fairly stable through February and remains down dramatically from late November and early December, when active cases hovered around 50,000.

Death counts have ticked up in recent days, but it's unclear if it's a blip or evidence of something more concerning. The seven-day average death rate is back in double digits, about 10 a day.

The state has recorded 488,170 total confirmed or probable cases so far in the pandemic, including 813 reported Friday. About 97% of Minnesotans known to be infected with COVID in the pandemic have recovered to the point where they no longer need to be isolated.

Despite recent positive trends in key metrics, officials remain concerned about COVID strains with the potential to spread. Minnesota has 165 confirmed cases of the so-called U.K. variant and two cases of the Brazil variant.

State health officials continue to implore Minnesotans to stay vigilant against the disease. On Friday, with spring break approaching for students, they also urged people to put off non-essential travel.

"Even with the positive momentum we see on vaccines, so many Minnesotans are still vulnerable," said Ruth Lynfield, the state's epidemiologist. The state, she cautioned, could still see a spike in coming months if people let down their guard.

Follow Brian Arola @BrianArola