COVID-19 death confirmed in Watonwan County

The Free Press

MANKATO — A Watonwan County resident’s death was confirmed as being caused by COVID-19, the region’s 265th fatality linked to the illness during the pandemic.

The resident was between 75-79 years old, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Minnesota had 11 COVID-19 deaths confirmed statewide Monday, raising the state’s death toll to 7,903.

Watonwan County has had 11 confirmed COVID-19 deaths during the pandemic.

A COVID-19 death is confirmed after a positive test and a medical examiner determining the illness was a cause. People who tested positive in the past and then died from unrelated causes wouldn’t count as COVID-19 deaths.

After a deadly August with 10 COVID-19 deaths, the south-central Minnesota region is off to a slower start so far in September. The Watonwan County death was the second in the region this month.

Area counties also had a large uptick in new cases to start the week. The combined total was 152, well above other recent Mondays.

There was no update Sept. 6 due to the Labor Day holiday. The previous Monday, Aug. 30, had 99 new cases.

Blue Earth County’s 48 new cases accounted for the most in the region. Nicollet County was next in line with 23 new cases.

All nine counties had at least 10 new cases.

The full list of new cases by county includes:

•Blue Earth County — 48

•Nicollet County — 23

•Watonwan County — 15

•Le Sueur County — 12

•Waseca County — 12

•Sibley County — 12

•Brown County — 10