Kristin DeArruda Wharton
This week Cook County Public Health Supervisor Grace Grinager reported to the Cook County Board of Commissioners that COVID-19 cases in Cook County are on the rise and have entered into a new phase. Community spread is occurring here much like it has in the rest of northern Minnesota and across the Midwest, she said.
From September to October there was an 83 percent increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Minnesota. During a three week period in October, Cook County gained nine more covid cases.
The recent uptick in cases in northern Minnesota has put a strain on Duluth hospitals which are operating at or near capacity, added Grinager.
When asked where the new cases were coming from, she explained that through contact tracing, officials look back to see where the infected person had been and try to pinpoint whether they had been in contact with a person for 15 minutes or more. Typically, said Grinager, those longer contacts are with family members. As far as specifying locations where the virus spread came from, Grinager said that wasn’t public information.
On Tuesday, October 27, the 18th case of Covid- 19 was confirmed in Cook County. That’s a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the last month.
To date, the county has at least ten active cases.
The latest COVID-19 diagnosis involves a woman in her 40’s.
Pandemic fatigue and pandemic anger are real, Grinager said. Locally, if people need help dealing with their frustrations and fatigue caused by the pandemic, she urged them to reach out and call 218-877- 7071 to get some help.
Cook County and Grand Portage are working together on contact tracing, Grinager said, adding the partnership was working well.
Free testing available
The free saliva test that is now available for Cook County residents is a good option, she said. Commissioner Myron Bursheim added that he took the test on Friday, October 23. Myron said it took about 20 minutes to complete and he was awaiting the results to come back this week. He added that he took the test just to see what it was like, and he wasn’t worried about having COVID-19.
Grinanager ended by saying people need to practice social distancing, wear masks, wash their hands, and even if one is in a small gathering, stick with those priorities so the virus has less chance of spreading to you or your family members.
Public Health Educator resigns
Cook County’s Public Health Educator Kristin DeArruda Wharton has resigned her position, said Grinager, and a search is on to find her replacement.
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