COVID-19 deaths remain low compared to previous winters

Brian Arola, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·2 min read

Feb. 23—MANKATO — South-central Minnesota had no newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths over the last two reporting weeks, continuing the region's encouraging stretch compared to previous winters.

The nine area counties combined for nine confirmed COVID-19 fatalities between Jan. 1-Feb. 18, according to Minnesota Department of Health data. They combined for 53 during the same date range in 2022.

The region's death toll remains at 574 since the pandemic began.

While fatality rates are much less severe now than during previous stretches in the pandemic, COVID-19 remains more deadly than influenza.

Minnesota has had about 151 influenza deaths since the 2022-2023 season began in the fall, compared to about 979 COVID-19 deaths during the same period.

Along with fewer fatalities from COVID-19 this winter compared to past winters, hospitalization and case levels also have remained muted.

Health department data showed hospitalizations in south-central counties declined from 21 to four during the most recent reporting weeks.

The south-central region had a 35.5% decrease in cases between Feb. 12-18, dropping from 200 to 129. It offset the previous week's 34.2% increase.

The decline was a relief, said Derek J. Wingert, a local data analyst tracking COVID-19 trends, and it appeared to be backed up by declines statewide and in COVID-19 levels found in wastewater.

"Overall we have more and more evidence that we may be starting a downward pointing trend," he said. "If this continues, especially as we hopefully and gradually turn into spring, we might be able to ease into a period of really quite low risk."

He noted only two area counties had upticks in cases, Brown and Martin. The other seven had decreases, with Le Sueur County having the fourth lowest rate of new cases in the state and Sibley County having the third lowest rate.

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