Minnesotaâs first case of COVID-19 was identified on March 6, 2020. Since then, Itasca County has seen 3,141 cases, 46 deaths, 221 hospitalizations, 49 intensive care unit stays, and 9,297 first vaccinations.Â
âWhat a year,â said Kelly Chandler, Itasca County Public Health division manager. âWe did not know in March 2020 how COVID spread; now we know it is primarily airborne. We know that good hygiene, including hand washing, is important, but even more important is masking to prevent the droplets carrying the virus from spreading to others.
âA year ago, we did not know that you could spread COVID prior to showing symptoms. Now we know you can spread it two days prior to showing symptoms or even without showing symptoms at all.