McLeod County reported three more deaths related to COVID-19 this past week, and another on Monday, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Those deaths of people in their 70s and 80s brings the total number to nine in about the past four weeks, and 13 since a new wave of the pandemic began sweeping into the county in August and September. Since the pandemic began, the county has reported 74 COVID-related deaths.
Berit Spores, the county’s Health and Human Services director, said that while many of the deaths have been among residents in high-risk populations — namely older residents — who could have died if there was no pandemic, data showed COVID-19 did play a role.
“Even if someone had an underlying issue, COVID-19 affected it,” she said.
Residents who are immunocompromised are able to get a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Spors said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have defined immunocompromised for the sake of a third shot as those who are receiving cancer treatment, or have been determined by their doctor to be immunocompromised.
Data available Friday from the state also showed 167 new cases in McLeod County over the past week. The week ending Friday, Oct. 22, had 140 new cases, the week ending Friday, Oct. 15, had 199 new cases, and the week ending Friday, Oct. 8, had 209 new cases.
Such high numbers of new cases began a few months ago, toward the end of summer when the rate climbed steadily from 55 new cases in a week on Friday, Aug. 13, when the total number of cases was 4,355 in McLeod County. As of Friday it had reached 5,941.
Meanwhile, Hutchinson Public Schools continues to track and reports its own internal data. At an Oct. 11 School Board meeting, Superintendent Daron VanderHeiden said the schools had been spared the same spike in cases seen around the county. For the week of Oct. 23-29, however, the school reported 22 new cases in students and four new cases in staff, the second worst week since classes began. That followed the week of Oct. 16-22, when the school reported just one new case in students and two new cases among staff. Such data can be found on the school’s website at isd423.org, as well as information regarding the school’s safety plan and contact tracing.
It’s hard to maintain an accurate analysis of case rates, however, without easily available testing. Though local case rates began to rise a few months ago, they came at a time when testing options had dwindled. The state-operated testing site at the Hutchinson Armory closed in July, prompting the county to begin lobbying for its return in early September.
Without the armory site open, residents were left with health care providers and a few private entities as options.
“They’re just not able to keep up,” Spors said at the time.
She announced earlier this month, however, that the armory testing site at 1200 Adams St. S.E. had opened again, and free, rapid testing is now available with an appointment 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays.
“We’ve been pushing really hard to get that open,” she said.
For more information on testing sites, and to make an appointment, visit tinyurl.com/mncovid19testing.
