There Are 9 Counties Over The 50 COVID-19 Cases Per 10K Resident Average

The latest report from the Minnesota Department of Health that looks at the 14-day average of COVID-19 cases per 10,000 residents on a county by county basis has shown an increase in Minnesota counties that are over the 50 cases per 10,000 residents which generally means instituting distance learning for area school districts. Waseca County, once again due in part to cases in the Federal Prison located in Waseca, leads all counties with a case rate of 162.16.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health report:

"Any increase in case incidence can represent a greater risk, but schools may consider a 14-day case rate of 10 or more cases per 10,000 to be an elevated risk of disease transmission within the local community, especially when the level of cases per week is sustained or increasing over time."

Overall looking at the data presented it appears a majority of counties in Minnesota saw an increase in their averages during the 14-day period that ran from September 13-26. These weeks also represent the time period that falls 10-14 days after Labor Day, which may explain the increase in cases as people may have gathered together to celebrate the long weekend.

The latest report shows that there are 9 counties in Minnesota over the 50 case rate, those counties are (in alphabetical order):

Big Stone - 51.83
Lac qui Parle - 59.06
Lincoln - 56.07
Martin - 91.66
Pine - 56.64
Redwood - 58.05
Swift - 52.07
Waseca - 162.16
Yellow Medicine - 67.90

Here are the average case rates for Southern Minnesota counties in alphabetical order:

Blue Earth - 35.73
Dakota - 20.23
Dodge - 38.87
Fillmore - 17.71
Freeborn - 27.52
Goodhue - 17.53
Houston - 16.61
Le Sueur - 15.37
Mower - 24.75
Olmsted - 21.82
Rice - 12.47
Scott - 24.83
Steele - 16.90
Wabasha - 23.72
Waseca - 162.16
Winona - 29.50

You can view the entire report here.