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COVID keeps climbing

BROWN COUNTY — The rate of new COVID-19 cases in Brown County is not slowing down.

As of Sunday, November 8, Brown County, Public Health has reported 35 new COVID-19 cases. This brings the county total to 570 confirmed COVID cases. Also, a fifth COVID related death was reported. The deceased was in their 90s.

COVID rates have been spiking in Brown County for the last week. Nearly 200 new cases have been reported in the first week of November. Friday, November 6, marked the highest single-day increase in positive cases for Brown County with 38. Public Health reported 35 new cases on Saturday and Sunday.

At the start of the COVID pandemic, it was unusual for Brown County to see double-digit increases in a single day. An increase of 10 took a week or more, but the county is now averaging 23 cases a day. Out of all confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Brown County since the start of the pandemic, 34% have occurred in November.

There is no single hotspot responsible for the increasing spread in Brown County. On Friday, Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz said part of the reason for the increase was COVID getting into long-term care facilities. But other clusters were related to social gathering events.

Brown County is not alone in experiencing a COVID spike. The Minnesota Department of Health has reported an increase of 5,924 positive test cases Sunday, the single-day high for the state.

The continued rise in COVID cases has Public Health officials concerned because this spike is coming before the start of the holiday season. Historically, disease spread increases during the holiday season through family gatherings.

Public Health continues to urge people to wear face masks and maintain a six-foot separation. In many patients, symptoms will be mild or moderate. Some have reported no symptoms, but are still able to spread the virus. Those at the greatest risk for COVID-19 are those 65 or older and those with underlying medical conditions.

In Minnesota, the highest age demographic with COVID is the 20 to 24-year-olds. In Brown County, the latest confirmed COVID cases have ranged in age from 10-years-old to 90-years-old.

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