Cook County public health officials announced last week the county had received its third and fourth confirmed cases of COVID-19. On Monday, August 10, a fifth confirmed case was added to the tally.
A female in her twenties was diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier last week and on Friday, August 7, Cook County received confirmation of its fourth resident case of COVID- 19, the first case of a Grand Portage resident. Grand Portage is part of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
On Monday, August 10, a female in her teens was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
“Although we still do not have confirmed community spread within Cook County, we know that COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout the region, state and country,” said Emergency Operations Center Incident Co-Commander Grace Grinager. “As our cases increase locally, I want to emphasize that we each have a responsibility to one another to take this pandemic seriously and to incorporate public health best practices into our lives each and every day.”
Taking the pandemic seriously means utilizing appropriate safety measures when in public spaces or at work and when visiting with friends and family, Grinager stated. Best practices include regular social distancing, wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings, especially indoors.
“We understand that these are challenging times and that we all want our lives and routines to return to normal,” Grinager added. “Our community has done a fantastic job of being vigilant in our response, and we continue to ask residents and visitors to remain cautious in your approach. By working together, we can minimize the impact of COVID-19.”
Northern Minnesota has experienced a significant rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases, with significant increases in Lake and St. Louis Counties. With 475 cases identified in St. Louis County, more than half of those cases were confirmed in July and about three-fourths of the cases occurred in Duluth.
With a large influx of visitors to the northland, the Cook County Emergency Operation Center is asking people to continue to utilize best health practices to help minimize the risk of COVID-19 among our local businesses, families and North Shore Communities. Please wear a mask, keep a social distance of six feet or more, practice good hand-washing, and stay home when you aren’t feeling well.
Anyone with clinical questions about the COVID-19 virus, including symptoms or testing, should call the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic at 218- 387-2330.
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