Rice County Has Its First Confirmed Case of COVID-19
The Rice County Public Health Department was notified late yesterday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) of a lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 according to a news release issued by the county.
KDHL Radio received information concerning this yesterday morning and contacted the Minnesota Department of Health Communications Department to get confirmation. They never returned my request for information.
The news release states, "Limited information indicates the confirmed case is linked to recent international travel and was seen on an outpatient basis." This is the information KDHL received prompting my call to the Minnesota Department of Health. The information was not located on the MDH website when checking it before our 5:05 p.m. report Wednesday.
The news release goes on to say, "Minnesota Department of Health staff will be working with Rice County Public Health staff on follow-up. Cases are isolated to prevent disease spread and a contact investigation is completed to identify those contacts. Close contacts are quarantined for 14 days from their exposure and monitor for fever and respiratory symptoms.
Public Health officials are recommending anyone 70 years and older, and those with underlying health conditions stay home as much as possible, avoid gatherings and other instances of potential exposures, including travel.
Current recommendation is if you are sick with respiratory symptoms or fever stay home for 7 days after illness onset, or 72 hours after resolution of the fever, whichever is longer.